Austin darlings Black Before Red are a band with promise. Their debut effort, Belgrave to Kings Circle, is eminently listenable, a slew of upbeat, catchy songs that shimmer with 60’s and 70’s pop influences. It’s not just good times: throughout, edgy instrumentation and compelling lyrics make this album more than a soundtrack for road trips and pool parties. “Underneath Gold” is a knockout opener. Singer Marc Ferrino’s voice is at its most toothsome amid sparkling guitars, horns, and hushed, layered vocals—all propelled by Kevin Schneider’s nimble, infectious bass. “Matagorda,” which depicts a Bonnie and Clyde-style romance, delights in being above the law and on the run with lively melodies and a marching-snare strut. The band mixes dissonant guitar squelch with sunny Beach Boys harmonies on “Our Last Summer.” And “Halliberlin Petroleum” is a protest song for today’s cynical, disaffected America. When Ferrino sings “what’s done is done,” his resigned plaintiveness is more resonant—and more convincing—than the indignant posturing found in so many politically-tinged rock songs. Still, Belgrave to Kings Circle only dazzles intermittently. The sparse arrangements sometimes sound anemic; the harmonic simplicity, cloying. Songs like “A Passenger’s Guide to Getting By” and “Bossa Nova #7” are filler compared with the album’s better tracks. And the appropriately-titled closer “Waiting for the Bang” disappoints—despite heartfelt lyrics, the bang never comes and the album ends with a whimper. If BBR can mature as a band and elevate all their songs to the level of the best on this album, they will—like Okkervil River before them—have no trouble finding a national audience outside Austin. In fact, they’ll be something special. Keep an eye on these guys.
--Joe Fassler
