by John Bear
Daily Lobo
The genre of rock 'n' roll known collectively as indie rock prides itself on its inherent nerdiness.
Originally, as far as I know, indie just meant bands unsigned to major labels. But like alternative before it, indie has been co-opted into a style, for better or worse.
Though this style is supposed to be kind of nerdish, it isn't really, because rock 'n' roll is, to paraphrase Lester Bangs, an industry of cool.
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With so many false nerd hipsters standing on stage looking cool, it is refreshing to see a band like the Bellmont.
I don't care what you say. These guys aren't cool. I have seen them play.
But they do rock. Yes, they do.
And you have a chance to see this for yourself Saturday at Burt's Tiki Lounge. The Bellmont is releasing its self-titled, five-song EP. People who attend will get a free copy, and it is worth it for the song titles alone.
"Mama, Daddy Wants You (to Shave if You Know What I Mean)" opens softly with a lilting guitar line and the gentle vocals of guitarist Billy Bellmont, and then launches abruptly into a arrhythmic aural assault with drummer Jeremiah Wood being incredibly nasty to his poor little drum set. In fact, the live show is worth seeing just for Wood's impressively brutal drumming. If the drum set were a person, he would surely be brought up on charges.
"Wanna Go to KFC, Chickenhead? (Alright, You Pay)" begins with standard indie speed picking guitar and bass courtesy of Terry Burch, but soon begins to pulse wildly in a start-stop fashion, drum fills abounding. Bellmont's vocals are somewhat indecipherable, but they add a layer of harmony to the thick instrumentation nonetheless.
"Smart Girls Do Not Give Good Brain (But I'm Willing to be a Test Subject)" kicks off in a slow, dissonant manner. A few lonely, sad guitar chords and cymbal splashes accompany the tortured singing. The song eventually picks up a little steam, but never loses its depressing quality. A long and decidedly dissonant guitar solo over swaying bass and drum lines closes things out.
Despite its lighthearted title, the song sets a good example of emotion set to music. I listened to the song several times and am now horribly depressed. Nice work.
"Man-Man-Wookie Love Triangle (the Punishment Due)" captures the heaviness of the band's live show better than any of the other songs on the EP. The guitar crunches a bit more. The bass pulses a bit more. The drums remain punishing. The vocals are scant, appearing only at the beginning, and then fading away in favor of fantastic interplay between instruments. Great song. But what's with the name?
The EP is solid, but this is a band that must be seen live to fully appreciate. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing three nerdy guys give their instruments a good, loud slapping around.
