Pictured is the cover artwork for Stonebelly’s new album, “Perspectives and Perceptions.”
Often, albums produced locally sound like they’re produced locally. The sound quality might be fuzzy or dull, or the songs all sound the same, or the small Lincoln band might not be incredibly talented. But, often, Lincoln defies this negative notion. Talented local musical artists work with talented producers who master their sound and high quality, listenable albums are born.
Local 3-piece Stonebelly is among those bands that prove that Lincoln is a legitimately music-producing city where artists can bloom. Their album, “Perspectives and Perceptions,” recorded at Fuse studios and released on Apr. 4, is among the ones produced locally that are listenable and of high quality. The ten songs are distinct from one another and the three men boast individual talent to create a powerhouse of carefully composed instrumentals complemented by lead vocals by Mike Hollen along with plenty of harmonies.
“Perspectives and Perceptions” is a fun and upbeat listen; it’s one that can be played on an open-road drive or around the house. In short, Stonebelly plays psychedelic rock. Sometimes the music is more rock, sometimes it’s more reggae, but the band never fails to deliver a catchy guitar riff defining each song paired with drums, bass and vocals that give a beachy, summer-time feel. They’re surfer rock but with a more punchy and faster delivery.
The album kicks off with a song called “Rising” with bouncy guitars and harmonies that are likely to get stuck in your head. The album carries on with more guitars, more drums and more harmonies but manages to keep things interesting by featuring lively horn instruments on the third song, the saxaphone in the seventh song and unique time shifts in most.
The hard copy CD prominently places lyrics to all of the songs, many of which are politically-fused or personal reflection or speculation. The lyrics from the song “New Revolution” is a good example: “The wealthy get coverage while the sick die faster. How much sense does it even make to talk about compassion while we look the other way? I don’t believe in your system. It’s all about the all mighty dollar.” Some song have a nice message while others are less clear
The only detracting quality of the album is that Hollen’s vocals can start to sound a bit tired. he’s got a pretty standard, white-male-in-Nebraska voice with a slight smokiness that compliments songs lie “No Escape.” But in songs like “Back in Time,” Hollen’s voice can, at times, pull a little too long and hard and sounds strained or nasally.
“Perspectives and Perceptions” is one to add to the shelf of Lincoln’s proud albums. Stonebelly is touring now in celebration of the new album. Their album release show on Apr. 12 at Zoo Bar is for ages 19 and up. The album is available digitally and physically on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon and at their live shows.
