Today, Austin-based folk-pop virtuosos The Belle Sounds premiere their new single titled "Like a Villain" with Glide Magazine off their forthcoming album "The Sea Within." You can find the premiere here and the single is available on iTunes, Spotify and everywhere else music is sold or streamed. "The Sea Within" is set to be released on Friday, July 20 with an official album release party taking place Saturday, July 21 at One-2-One Bar located at 1509 S. Lamar Blvd. St. 600, Austin, Texas. Doors are at 7:30 p.m., with The Sanco Loop playing at 8 p.m., The Belle Sounds at 9:30 p.m.and the Brandon Aguilar Band at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and there will be a free download card of the album with entry. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. The Belle Sounds will also have a Houston album release party at The Mucky Duck on Tuesday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now here. For more information on the group, please see www.thebellesounds.com.
"This song has become a form of therapy for me in dealing with my panic attacks," said frontwoman Noëlle Hampton about the single. "Anyone who suffers from these knows how powerless we can feel when these overwhelming, mind-altering waves try to pull us under. Many doctors recommend inviting the feeling in when it starts to happen in order to gain control, as if you say, 'I see you, give me all you've got...just try to kill me.' I drew from this idea when I wrote 'Like a Villain.' Getting through a panic attack is a battle every single time. Outsiders often think they have a solution but I think it's a journey we have to figure out for ourselves. Maybe this song will make someone else feel a bit more empowered and that might be a small step on the long path to freeing themselves."
Led by frontwoman Noëlle Hampton and electric guitarist André Moran, The Belle Sounds create lush soundscapes intertwined with beautiful harmonies and emotive lyricism. Their sound is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, Neko Case, Aimee Mann, The Shins and Jenny Lewis, yet exudes its own power and depth through Noëlle's heart-wrenching vocals and her and André's guitar interplay. Other artists featured on the album include band member Emily Shirley on keys, synths and vocals, studio drummer Evan Hutchings, local Austin bassist John Michael(Night Glitter, Charlie Sexton), Kris Nelson on bass and backing vocals on several tracks along with Brian Standefer (Alejandro Escovedo) on cello. Noëlle and André enlisted the help of producer/engineer/keyboard player David Boyle (Patty Griffin, Fiona Apple, Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder, Okkervil River, Shinyribs) for the new project and recorded it at Church House Studio in Austin.
"I am so excited to let these songs fly," says Noëlle Hampton. "It has been a long time since we released a record and it feels wonderful to share this collection in the honest form that it is in. David Boyle's organic approach to the production was just what these songs needed. He was looking for that immediate emotional response you feel when listening to something. I think people will get a true sense of us through this record."
"Working at Church House Studio was truly inspiring," says André Moran. "There is something about that room that lets you open up into its vast space and dig deep into the music. David was an invaluable creative guide for us. We are so excited to be releasing this record that we are all so proud of."
"THE SEA WITHIN" TRACKLIST IS AS FOLLOWS:
Inside Out
Like A Villain
Afterglow
Innsaei
The Informant
Legend of the Silver Moon
Safe From Love
Transcendental
Olivia
When You Lose Someone
Setting of the Summer Sun
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