Bell X1: Blue Lights On The Runway

Ironically for a band named after the first aircraft to shatter the sound barrier, the lads in Bell X1 have been a little slow transporting the success they’ve enjoyed in their native Ireland across the teeming Atlantic to the United States. But while 2008’s Flock landed them a spot on Letterman and song placements on a number of TV shows (most notably a high-profile episode of The OC), their new record Blue Lights On The Runway has the potential to turn X1 into a stateside #1. The digitized percussion opening lead single “How Your Heart Is Wired” quickly spills into a lush guitar riff that suggests a more adrenalized version of Radiohead’s “Talk Show Host.” Lead singer Paul Noonan is a savagely brilliant, left-field lyricist. You’ll find a lump in your throat even when you don’t know exactly what he’s getting at. Longtime fans suffered a crushing blow when keyboardist/utility man Brian Crosby left the band in fall of 2008, but Bell X1 appears determined to not lose an ounce of momentum.

Listen to Bell X1's Blue Lights On The Runway on MySpace.