The Fifth | Birds of Bellwoods | EP Release
From the first note, Birds of Bellwoods drew me in to their new EP, The Fifth. Starting out simply and building from there, the addition of strings to the sound is perfection.
Track one, Sky got the most play. The pace builds and by the time they get to the chorus, “the youth I used to know”, the intensity is off the scale. Layered with harmonies and intensity. The lyrics seem to tell a story of loss, denial and acceptance.
Come Home showcases the four part harmonies and the softer side of love. Mixing high and low with strings and bass, there’s a strength in the sound that makes me wish there was more, and that I was there when they wrote it.
The Heavy bass beat and fast lyrics in Roll Your Stone, has an old fashioned feel to it, and yet it has a modern lyrical flow, it’s brilliant.
By far the darkest track, in my opinion, is Grey Ghosts. “Set my bed on fire today. Whiskey makes the trouble fade.” against the sweet sounding harmonies, it gives me goosebumps for the full 5 minutes and 6 seconds.
The title track, The Fifth, comes last with it’s tempo changes, gives us a look at the heart from the inside out, admittedly not always a pretty place.
Over all, the songwriting is smart and sharp. The sound is not purely indie folk, the flow of the lyrics and beat, at times, is rap reminiscent. Honestly, I think everyone should listen to it. Each track is bringing its best to the table. I can’t pick a favourite.
These guys are going places. Birds of Bellwoods are Stephen Joffe (Lead Vocals/Mandolin), Chris Blades (Vocals/Banjo), Kintaro Akiyama (Vocals/Standup Bass), Adrian Morningstar (Vocals/Guitar).
Watch for them at Jasper Folk Music Festival, TURF, The Horseshoe Tavern and Indie Week in Toronto.
Album Available On – iTunes – Spotify – Rdio – Bandcamp – Soundcloud– And More
