Bell X1 outdoes The Muppets
Paradise, Boston, March 17, 2009
Reviewed by Jeffrey B. Remz
Bell X1 did not face the pressure of having to top what came before them because just prior to hitting the stage, a snippet of The Muppets singing "Danny Boy" was shown. The intent was to contribute to the good time atmosphere of playing Boston on St. Patty's Day, and that may have achieved, but, frankly, the Irish stars need not have worried about topping The Muppets.
While not a hard act to follow, Bell X1 did accord themselves just fine before about 300 people. Bell X1 is a band that has achieved much popularity in their native land, while in the U.S. they are on a good indie label, Yep Roc, and trying to make a dent on at least their third tour of the U.S.
Lead singer Paul Noonan typifies Bell X1. He displays very little ego on stage, making it clear at the end that the band does "not take for granted" the support of fans. He sings well, ably backed by a quartet that at times included two keyboards for a swirling sound. There definitely was a Talking Heads vibe going on, though Noonan has none of the quirkiness of David Byrne's vocals. The Great Defector, the band's biggest hit in their homeland, particularly recalled Byrne with Noonan's vocals mixed high and keyboards and steady drumming spearheading the song.
The songs tended to stretch out a lot, something welcome since the band would often settle into a good groove and let the song play out.
This is a band that also benefited from Americana television, scoring a song, "Eve. The Apple of My Eye," on the late show "The OC," which helped raise their profile. "You take your breaks wherever they come," said Noonan. In this day and age, who could blame him? The song was typical for Bell X1 - pretty long and pretty sounding.
While certainly an evening of quality music, Bell X1 lacks a distinctiveness to their music. Yes, there was the Heads vibe going on songs like Flame, but there was also a slower pace to the songs. One could be hard-pressed to say "That is Bell X1's sound."
But at least they make for a night of generally catchy, invigorating music.
Irish ex-pat Paddy Saul opened the evening with a good 45-minute set. While sometimes the stage can overpower those of timid voice, that was certainly not the case with Saul. He has a full, vibrant voice that does justice to the material. Saul, who has lived in Boston for about 15 years, mixed it up sufficiently between louder bursts of vocal energy and softer passages to maintain sufficient interest.
Saul benefited from the presence of Jimmy Ryan on mandolin. The sounds of mandolin from the veteran musician and Saul's acoustic guitar often meshed quite well, creating a pretty dynamic to the music.
