The Belle Comedians

From Fredericton, NB, The Belle Comedians graced the stage next, almost all five of them donning the classic Canadian denim-on-denim uniform. Following Topanga can’t be easy, especially for an out-of-town band, and while Benjamin Ross (vocals, guitar), Scott Mallory (guitar, vocals), Dan Tweedie (keys), Willow Bell (bass) and Adam Guidry (drums) took the tempo down a few notches, they more than held their own.

The band plays folk-rock, but with a level of passion that makes them really entertaining to watch. Their sound is built around some pretty epic music breaks and sweeping melodies that just build and build until they knock you over. They started dark and mysterious, and then got loud. Mallory was truly a maniac on the guitar while the keys kept infused a prettiness into their songs, despite Tweedie constantly standing and jumping everywhere while pounding away.

Having taken a recommendation from an East Coast friend to check out this band, The Belle Comedians re-ignited my yearning to visit the East Coast and experience the fertile New Brunswick music scene for myself. You can check out the band’s latest EP Autumn Ought To… here, it’s been on repeat for me ever since I saw them. - buying shots for bands

...The EP begins with Break + Enter, which begins almost raw sounding like a live recording. I love that you can hear the slight tremble and crackles in the vocals. 2/3rds into the song it builds into a fantastic conclusion that reminds me a little of Said the Whale.
“I’m obsessed with breaking into broken hearts” line in Fewer Lights is one of the many uses of imagery that I have fallen in love in the song. The track is damn catchy and the one they are currently giving up for free.
The Weight You Hold is a reverb filled track. The strange thing about it is the way it builds up and the amount of different elements in it makes the song itself sound like there is weight.
North Winds is a more mellow, yet slightly depressing song with some rock and jazzy twists. An interesting note to end the set on...

-Tiana Feng - Ride The Tempo

It’s not long into The Belle Comedians‘ forthcoming EP, Autumn Ought To…, to realize that this five-piece band are on to something. You might be tempted to lump them in with other east coast outfits bands who are playing similar big melodies, but there’s something special about The Belle Comedians that I just don’t get with bands like Hey Rosetta! For one thing, EP opener “Break + Enter” eschews the usual bombastic opening statement that says, “Look at us! Look at us! We play loud!” Starting with a lone guitar, Benjamin Ross’ vocals, and someone in the studio giving the heads up that tape is rolling, the song slowly builds for three full minutes before the band comes in, turning this plaintive little solo song into a full-on ballad. - Quick Before It Melts

It’s not long into The Belle Comedians‘ forthcoming EP, Autumn Ought To…, to realize that this five-piece band are on to something. You might be tempted to lump them in with other east coast outfits bands who are playing similar big melodies, but there’s something special about The Belle Comedians that I just don’t get with bands like Hey Rosetta! For one thing, EP opener “Break + Enter” eschews the usual bombastic opening statement that says, “Look at us! Look at us! We play loud!” Starting with a lone guitar, Benjamin Ross’ vocals, and someone in the studio giving the heads up that tape is rolling, the song slowly builds for three full minutes before the band comes in, turning this plaintive little solo song into a full-on ballad. - Quick Before It Melts

Halifax band The Belle Comedians have just brought a nice little EP Without A Sound which you can grab a download of here. I really liked the rollicking slink of opener 'Lost In The Straws', a swaying barroom ballad that evokes The Hold Steady, Drive By Truckers or even Aussie act Augie March at their most robust. The rest of the album develops from this promising beginning - 'Modern Touch' has that Springsteen swagger that many indie bands are tapping into right now, whilst 'Stop To Rust' is a haunting stop-start crawler and 'The Big Empty' echoes Jason Molina's Electric Magnolia Co. I know I've thrown a lot of touchstones out there, so Ill make it simpler - this is Americana writ large, with a dollop of Gothic and a quart of whiskey thrown expertly into the buttery batter. Whilst much of this can be attributed to chief songwriter and vocalist Benjamin Ross, the instrumentation in offer here is enveloping and engaging. These guys need more recognition - Im happy to give it to em. - Sonic Masala

I’m no expert, but it seems like The Belle Comedians are a band who could do some big things. Now that’s something that’s been said about countless Halifax bands in the past, and considering the mellow(ish) brand of folk-infused indie rock this five-piece plays, I’m not talking about top-40-radio-type big things. But when you see the success an outfit like Hey Rosetta!, who are vaguely similar in their emphasis on lyrics and melody, have had of late, I could see The Belle Comedians finding an audience for what they do.

I’ll admit I haven’t spent too much time with the BC’s recently released EP, Without A Sound, but their sound has started to make more of an impact on me on the second or third time through. Whereas the peppier numbers like the opening 1-2 punch of “Lost In The Straws” and “Modern Touch” grabbed my attention on my initial listen, the bounce of the longing-filled “Long Drive Home” has made it a favorite now.

Without A Sound is available now on the band’s Bandcamp site, and if I haven’t made as much clear by now, I think this 7 song EP (the version I have also has 2 live tracks) shows that The Belle Comedians are already a band both comfortable and confident in their sound and direction, so I’m interested in seeing where they go from here. - Herohill

I’m no expert, but it seems like The Belle Comedians are a band who could do some big things. Now that’s something that’s been said about countless Halifax bands in the past, and considering the mellow(ish) brand of folk-infused indie rock this five-piece plays, I’m not talking about top-40-radio-type big things. But when you see the success an outfit like Hey Rosetta!, who are vaguely similar in their emphasis on lyrics and melody, have had of late, I could see The Belle Comedians finding an audience for what they do.

I’ll admit I haven’t spent too much time with the BC’s recently released EP, Without A Sound, but their sound has started to make more of an impact on me on the second or third time through. Whereas the peppier numbers like the opening 1-2 punch of “Lost In The Straws” and “Modern Touch” grabbed my attention on my initial listen, the bounce of the longing-filled “Long Drive Home” has made it a favorite now.

Without A Sound is available now on the band’s Bandcamp site, and if I haven’t made as much clear by now, I think this 7 song EP (the version I have also has 2 live tracks) shows that The Belle Comedians are already a band both comfortable and confident in their sound and direction, so I’m interested in seeing where they go from here. - Herohill

This is a very solid effort from The Belle Comedians, and works not only to showcase the obvious depth of talent of this Halifax, Nova Scotia group, but also serves as a good reminder to up-and-coming bands about the importance of balance. In many ways, The Belle Comedians achieve equilibrium on this EP. For starters, no one instrument (and I include vocals as an instrument here) outmuscles the others. On some songs you really key in on the singer. On others it’s the guitar, or the bass, or drums, or keyboards. Often, your focus shifts between one element and another within the same song. But in the end, it all blends very nicely to help create a listening experience worthy of your attention. Overall however, balance is still something for which the band needs to strive.

What impressed me the most about the “Without A Sound” EP is that there are a lot of strengths on display. There are a ton of positives here. Benjamin Ross is a very talented vocalist, able to draw us in with his emotive voice to a point where we can share his pain as he belts out a murky, brooding ballad. Ross can also take us soaring along with him in the more upbeat numbers. His voice is somewhat reminiscent of Bono back when Bono was able to stir similar emotions in listeners. You know, in the days before he could wipe away the tears cried at the plight of the world with thousand dollar bills!

Dan Tweedie brings mood and colour to the mix on the keyboards in the same way Nicky Hopkins did for the Rolling Stones in songs like Angie. Owen Steel is steady on bass, anchoring the tunes while still lending vibrancy to them. Drummer Adam Guidry builds a solid framework without overdoing it, which is to say he knows when not to play, leaving enough space to properly set the mood. Scott Mallory shimmers on guitar when that is what the song calls for, and provides necessary shading on the mellower numbers. Which brings me back to my earlier observation about the importance of balance…there is still some work ahead of The Belle Comedians in order to achieve it.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen with this EP is a better balance in terms of song selection. Now, I’m not talking about having an equal number of mellower tunes and harder-edged numbers, but that said, not every song has to be a dirge either. I’m just saying that I would have liked one or two more rockin’ songs here. Clearly, the strength of The Belle Comedians comes through in lush soundscapes such as “The Big Empty,” where Benjamin Ross spins a world-weary tale. And on a softer tune like “Stop to Rust,” a Celtic-infused ballad with some wonderfully creative lyrics, Ross really shines through. But if one of the goals for the band is to get noticed and perhaps follow in the footsteps of, say, a band like Arcade Fire and become known at a national level, in my opinion you have to show a more full range of what you can play.

Including a couple of live songs on this EP is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it was great to hear “The Weight You Hold,” a terrific track that really showcases what the band can do in front of an audience. “Loaded Bones” also works, although placement wise it’s a little off-putting to have it and the studio version of the tune just two songs apart from each other. But the real shame about the live tracks is that you can hear so much audience chatter that it really distracts from the beauty of those songs. The sound mix needed to be better to help diminish what sounds like a crowd of twenty-somethings having their own drunken conversations in a bar.

Despite a few relatively minor missteps, overall I really enjoyed this album. I truly believe “The Belle Comedians” are on the right track and can have a bright musical future. The band just has to seek that rare (and sometime elusive) element – the proper balance. - Grayowl Point

The Belle Comedians have an all over the place sound; their Facebook page describes them as having “a hybrid sound encapsulating alt-country, folk and indie rock tendencies” which are certainly present on this EP. The album sounds great in terms of instrumentation – lots of bopping raw P-bass sound, slinky overdriven guitars, and predominant piano sound. Much of the songwriting is based around a singer/songwriter style paradigm, of which, as most people know, I am not a fan at all. Vocal music has very little meaning for me, and I often have a hard time connecting to bands that put a huge amount of energy and soul in their vocals, as is this case here.

Songs like “Stop to Rust” center around a highly emotional vocal, with the band moving in and out and providing flourishes and atmosphere. Most people will have no problem connecting with this presentation and I could see the Belle Comedians as excellent candidates for the ECMAs or even the Junos – they have that modern, young, eastern coast sound. There's a touch of folksy, home down feeling in the vocals and the rhythm section, but you can hear a post 90's sound in the guitar melodies and song structure.


“Long Drive Home” opens with some nice pedal steel guitar licks, and there's a great dynamic with the guitar leading the band up and down at the top of the song. The chorus is catchy and the nice dynamics continue throughout the song. The bass and drums show off a great connection, always in sync, and the bass winds the song down with a nice flourish.

The title track, “Without a Sound,” leads off with more great suspenseful guitar; the cliché piano sweep is a little off putting but the track redeems itself quickly and great atmospheric background vocals just ride the track for a while while the instruments play around with rhythms a little bit. It's definitely good drinking music for your local bar or pub, and you could get up and dance with your mom, if she was out drinking with you for some reason. The outro seems custom made for just the purpose (dancing, not necessarily with your mom) and it's at this point that I can really picture the band getting a crowd up and moving at a live show.

“Loaded Bones” concludes the EP proper with a muffled sound that again calls to mind a lot of modern indie-alt-country but with a weirdo twist. It's a little different from the rest of the EP, with fuzzy bass tones and different guitar sounds and styles that are a nice change. This version of the EP also includes two live songs, the first of which, “The Weight you Hold,” only appears in live form and is a nice taste of the bands live show, but is a little slow and ballady compared to some of the more upbeat cuts on the album.

The live recordings also include the live rendition of “Loaded Bones,” which is a very interesting tool to have, to compare the live and recording versions of the song. You can certainly hear the energy the band has for the live show, but the song itself is pretty much spot on with the record, with the lower quality recording compensated for by the grungy live rock and roll energy heard in the drums and vocals. It's a good strategy for an emerging band, as it shows that the band is capable of delivering the goods at their live show and aren't just a studio concoction.

The Belle Comedians don't exactly fall in my tastes, but if you like local beers, plaid sweaters, ironic moose heads, or bearded gentlemen with acoustic guitars, you may just like the Belle Comedians, so keep your ears open for the proper Halifax CD release show in the near future or check out the band's Bandcamp for a taste of the record.

- Dan Nightingale "Noisography" - Noisography