Belle Histoire’s first full-length, ‘Dreamers,’ is the freshest breath of air the music scene has gotten in a long time. Fresh off an EP earlier this year, this Ohio-based band delivers pure musical talent in each song, proving their worth and giving us all an example of unadulterated musical pleasure.
You can’t begin to talk about Belle Histoire without mentioning lead vocalist Jane Smith. Her voice is indulgent; listening to her sing is like eating like a decadent dessert. She can hit the high notes with pure clarity while maintaining a rich and complex tone. If this description isn’t working for you, just take a listen to ‘Home,’ which makes her voice the focal point.
This album is well balanced. You’ll hear upbeat, happy-sounding tracks like ‘Don’t Run Away,’ and ‘My Dear,’ which are pop-driven but avoid crossing the line into cloyingly sweet. This switches to soulful, pensive tracks like ‘We’ll Never Learn,’ and ‘Do You Love Me.’
The standout song on ‘Dreamers’ is ‘See You Again.’ Smith’s vocals are haunting, the melody is one that sticks around in your head for hours, and the lyrics are honest and slightly heartbreaking. The lyrics become a unifying theme for the album. It is rare to come across such stripped-down lyrics, when many artists cover their words with cryptic metaphors and secret meanings. This album presents unembellished human emotions and experiences that everyone can relate to or be inspired by.
Belle Histoire gives us one of those albums you can put on repeat for hours. It’s hard to pin down exactly what makes this entire album so addicting. With moments reminiscent of Copeland, fused with sweet, open lyrics, simple and straightforward musicianship and one of the best voices from an up-and-coming singer, I suppose it’s even harder to pin down what doesn’t make this album so addicting.
Maybe what makes Belle Histoire stand out from other female-fronted indie bands is the unadulterated talent. There is no studio mixing with Smith’s voice. Even the instruments offer an almost raw quality that gives ‘Dreamers’ such a unique sound. There are no extra embellishments. This album is pure music, and it is an incredible debut album that makes Belle Histoire a force to be reckoned with.
5/5
‘Dreamers’ by Belle Histoire is out now on InVogue Records.
Belle Histoire links: Website|Facebook|Twitter|YouTube
Words by Jenny Gagas.
