Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Music Review: The Belle Miners "Powerful Owl"


Initially, I listened to this album by The Belle Miners because of the name "Powerful Owl".  It seems like a bit of a tongue twister (Which always brings me back to "The Rural Juror") but at the same time, I took this test online once and found that the snow owl is my spirit creature so I've had this soft spot for owls ever since.

The music of The Belle Miners is similar to music I've heard before but at the same time it is somehow different.   One of the first reactions I think one could take from this based upon descriptions is to think of it as sounding like the Dixie Chicks but it really doesn't.   I'm not really a fan of the Dixie Chicks but I am such a fan of this.

So how do you describe this music without falling down a hole where people already have ideas of what this might sound like?   It's tricky because on one hand the words used to describe this could paint an inaccurate picture of sound in your head.    There is this slight element of pop, but these beautiful harmonies infect you in a way I can't describe.

On some level I also feel like this might be considered country only because it tends to have a sadder nature to it, a heartbroken sort of theme of love and loss.    The acoustic elements could almost make it folk and at the same time the accompanying vocals could take it towards R&B, like a doo wap group.    Funny thing is, the vocals also seem to be singing against each other at times, such as someone having a conflicting conversation within themselves and that adds another level to it all.  (See: "Who Was I")

The best idea I can take from these songs is the line: "In this place we're all the same".   Is this country, folk, pop, acoustic, rock, whatever and the answer to all of those questions is yes.    It's easy on the ears but has layers underneath and though it could be compared on some level, I've never heard anyone else quite sing like this about how no one gets out of here alive. 


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