Artist to Artist: Belle of the Fall "The Bending of Light"
When I started this blog a few years ago, part of the mission statement was to review the recorded work of my peers. Heretofore, I have made only a couple offerings and those were musings upon the lives and works of some of the established greats. To say that I have been a dedicated blogger would be patently false. However, one must strike while the iron is hot, and I’m currently pretty excited about the album I’m about to review. That’s right, album. A proper album in the tradition of proper albums since time immemorial. One large piece of work comprised of smaller individual components called “songs”. I love albums. This particular one is called “The Bending of Light” by a duo called Belle of the Fall. They are commonly referred to as a Folk duo, but that description is well short of the mark.
Tracy Walton and Julia Autumn Ford are a bit of a musical odd couple. She, a naturally gifted singer with one of those “God” (Goddess?) given voices (Something to do with the vocal cords she was born with and how they were exercised at an early age, combined with natural soul power that is well beyond her tender years). And he, a veteran bass player and multi-instrumentalist with a deep resume as a performer, producer, engineer and music educator. And here’s the thing… They were both fully engaged in their own singer songwriter endeavors before they met and formed Belle of the Fall, both bringing to the table what was needed to get to this exceptional piece of work, three albums down the line. Julia, understandably, is the visual focal point of the act, and whose voice is the initial hook in to the band. Tracy is the one who brings the stage banter, plus the optimism, experience and technical knowhow needed to navigate the choppy waters of a career in music.
Now, full disclosure time. I have a bit of a bias, as anyone who follows my career may understand. I have a long standing working relationship with Tracy, who has engineered, played on and co-produced almost all Cosmos Sunshine recordings for the past three years or so. During which time, Julia has graced a number of those tracks with her immense vocal talents. It definitely does not hurt that, in addition to being stellar writers and performers, they are both lovely humans.
Now that I’ve set the table, let’s get down to the good stuff, The Bending of Light.
The first thing to talk about is the cover and packaging. Aesthetically, it tells the listener “There is Pop within”. But not the meaningless sonic cotton candy that designed to rot your soul. No, this is the stuff of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas and the Papas and Britney Spears! Oh wait, did I just say that? Okay, okay. Inside joke. This is my favorite of their album covers, because it represents what it is musically. A sort of coming out of the shadows of their earlier work, which is much moodier and more contemplative. Also great, but slightly less approachable. Lots of black and white and grey. This one is a color bomb. It also features the lyrics to all of the songs. I’m a sucker for great lyrics and both Tracy and Julia are dedicated to the craft, offering distinct, but very developed individual approaches.
Musically and production-wise, this puppy is a tour de force, with Tracy handling his usual upright bass and array of stringed instruments and percussion and Julia stretching herself as player, as well, all of which creates a gorgeous foundation for their combined vocals. Hers, dusky lows to birdsong sweet highs. His, precise, clear, composed and understatedly expressive.
Song by song, the album goes like this…
October Mountain - So glad they saved my favorite for first! This an expansive, laid back Folk Rock ballad, harkening back to the late 60’s/early 70’s. Although the subject is all New England, it is sonically yearning for California. Warm and lush, buoyed by big, classic pads of vocal harmony supporting Julia’s velvety lead. It’s a perfect arrangement, including an intelligently added key modulation for the last chorus. Juicy stuff. Especially the line “As we subside in the amaranthine quiet, all sounds in the world turn to silence”. October Mountain may be a geographical location, but here it is a romantic metaphor for all the seasons of emotion, from a distinctly autumnal perspective.
The Heart of Alone - The real knockout on this track for me is the contrapuntal vocal figure in the B section of the song. Brilliantly composed and written, never losing the empathic plea for the subject to breathe in to their core, finding strength in centeredness in the face of the world’s coldness and wearying exploitation. This is as sincere and heartfelt as anything else I could name, while demonstrating a level of harmonic sophistication that is almost entirely absent from the so-called popular music popular music of today.
What If - An upbeat exploration of the possibility of human existence if we all rose to our potential and left behind greed and self interest for generosity and kindness. What if, indeed… It features some fun instrumental flourishes, including Moog synthesizer and electric 12 string guitar. This significant because before this album, if I’m not mistaken, all instrumentation has been acoustic. The first single from the album, with good reason.
Glory Days - A rearview glance at how life was before we lost ourselves in our electronic devices, our adult concerns and the banalities of daily life. Great harmonized lead vocal throughout and layered instrumentation on this one recall a Spektor-esque “Wall of Sound” sonic landscape.
Nowhere at All - A deep existential exploration couched in a Sesame Street sonic presentation. You absolutely must sway side to side when you listen to this. If you don’t, there’s probably something wrong with you and you should see a doctor. Julia steps out on kazoo and euphonium on this one. Badass.
Silent Scream - A Halloween anthem in the vein of Danny Elfman. It’s an ambient, nocturnal tango through the subconscious. One of my absolute favorites because of the expressiveness of the production in support of the subject. They absolutely nailed it with this one.
All I Need is You - A sweet, childlike love song in the best possible way. Earnest, yet inviting. Ambient and yearning. A deep track that helps to make the album nearly perfect as a whole.
Stars Aligned - A cosmic ode to a soul twin. Another upbeat offering that lifts this album, in comparison to earlier work. It’s a sweet and optimistic expression of a love we should all be lucky enough to experience.
The Bending of Light - A gorgeous meditation on contrast. It invites the listener to awaken to the miracle of existence. Tracy’s slide performance on resonator guitar is a particular treat. This track is the ideal culmination of an album of the same name.
Well, there it is. My first official review. I’m glad I waited this long!
I hope that it does it’s job, which is to encourage the reader to listen to this most excellent piece of sonic architecture. These are all my impressions and interpretations. I urge you to form your own.
The Bending of Light is available for stream or download on all the major platforms. Just go to your favorite and search for Belle of the Fall, or better yet, get yourself a physical copy. These can be ordered via their website, or, ideally, can be bought in person at one of their performances. That’s what it’s all about. Supporting the artist, because at this time, music has been monetarily devalued and the good stuff is drowning in a flood the poor to mediocre, which technology has given global reach. Now, go! Visit the site, sign the mailing list, pay for their bespoke musical offerings. Now find another act that you love, rinse and repeat. You’ll be glad ya did!
https://www.belleofthefall.com/music
Thank you for reading!
~ Cosmos Sunshine
PS If you are a recording artist, or know someone that is, please feel free to share some music with me. If I really, really like it, I will probably write a glowing review.