The Belle Brigade: Just Because

Musical genes aside (the grandad of siblings Barbara and Ethan Gruska is legendary soundtrack composer John Williams), you’d swear blind over a few tracks that Belle Brigade is Rilo Kiley in a different guise, rather than a newish US band proudly thrusting their second album towards you.

Sure, there are obvious connections – Barbara Gruska has drummed with Jenny Lewis, Rilo Kiley's former lead vocalist. But there's also an overriding sense of brilliance via West Coast pop songs as clearly defined as Not the One You Want, Be Like Him and Miss You in My Life.

There's also a coherence in the lyrics that rings true, with themes of dissatisfaction (When Everything Was What It Was), depression (Likely to Use Something) and satire (Be Like Him) weaving their way across the album's brief but pop-groovy duration.

[ thebellebrigade.com ]