Familiar yet fresh effort by Bell X1

You have heard this album before.

Bell X1’s latest release, “Bloodless Coup,” combines multiple influences into one Irish-tweaked indie rock album. By channeling styles from its peers, Bell X1 forgoes striving for the novel, instead choosing to work within a familiar space that fosters comfortable and familiar melodies geared toward previous fans and new listeners alike. 

Traces of Radiohead, the National, Rogue Wave and especially Talking Heads can be found in Paul Noonan’s Celtic croons and shouts. In many of the songs, synthesizers lead the progressions as much as guitars while elements of hip-hop are laced throughout the album, too.

Reminiscent of David Sitek’s recent “Maximum Balloon” album, tracks like “4 Minute Mile” and “Safer Than Love” incorporate dirty, fuzzy bass lines to inspire head-nodding and dancing desires. “Velcro” is the album’s standout track, lyrically and compositionally provocative, bemoaning modern life and love. Bonus digital track “Amsterdam Says” is a close runner-up, soothingly painting a story of ruined love set in the canal-laden streets and structures of the Dutch city. 

For fans of indie-rock looking to play it safe yet still concerned with diversity of sound, “Bloodless Coup” is a sure bet.