Bell X1 (band)
Bell X1 are an Irish rock band from County Kildare. The group consists of Paul Noonan (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, keys), David Geraghty (guitar, vocals, keys, percussion, banjo, piano, harmonica) and Dominic Phillips (bass, vocals).[1]
Bell X1
They have performed on the Late Show with David Letterman and their music also has appeared in popular drama series such as the TV series Grey's Anatomy and The OC.[2]
Bell X1 are known for regular changes in sound from album to album, their range taking in alternative, indie, hard rock, post-punk, acoustic, lo-fi, folk rock, ballad, pop, synth-pop, new wave and electronica. They have been compared to The Blue Nile, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Coldplay, U2, Animal Collective, Elbow and Talk Talk.[3][4][5][6]
20th Anniversary shows[edit]
In 2018, Bell X1 played a series of gigs marking their 20th anniversary across Ireland. This included a five-night residency in Dublin's Vicar Street 21–25 March 2018, with the first three nights featuring a classic album played in full – Neither Am I, Music In Mouth and Flock – and the final two comprising a greatest hits set and an acoustic evening, respectively.[106] All five nights quickly sold out. There were also greatest hits shows in both King John's Castle, Limerick[107] in May and Live At The Marquee, Cork in June of the same year.[108]
In August 2018, the band concluded their "Bandiversary year" with two shows at Dublin's National Concert Hall on 28 and 29 November.[109] The shows featured string accompaniment from Dowry Strings (Éna Brennan), with whom Bell X1 had performed earlier in the year at an event in aid of Aware.[110]
In 2019, they played two January dates in the band's beloved Union Chapel in London, one of which sold out immediately. Following this, the group embarked on a nine-date February tour of Ireland which, like the November shows, would be "Acoustic-ish" performances with Dowry Strings again providing accompaniment.[111]
They played a headline outdoor show at King John's Castle in July 2019 in the full-band format, as well as a major date at the Galway Arts Festival.[112]
The Acoustic-ish with Dowry Strings Tour 2020 dates were released in November 2019 for the following summer across Ireland and the UK but were postponed due to COVID-19. In May 2020, Bell X1 announced the rescheduled tour dates from January 2021 for the gigs on their official website.[113]
Lyrics and style[edit]
Noonan's lyrical style has been described as being confessional, occasionally bemusing, and incorporating aphorisms and colloquialisms. Thematically, he is known to cover a wide variety of subject matter.[114] The unconventional nature of Noonan's lyrics is regarded as a signature feature of Bell X1's music.[115] Noonan has also said in the past that most Bell X1 songs are lyrically driven during development stage rather than musically driven.[116] Although the group has never categorised themselves as "Irish rock", lyrically Noonan has often woven in elements from everyday Irish life into songs, from the changing economic fortunes of Ireland during the Celtic Tiger era and subsequent recession, to a popular Irish ice-cream known as a Cornetto.[117]
Noonan has also expressed a growing interest in prose writing. The singer revealed that he has written some short stories.[117] He has described himself as a big fan of the Irish writer John McGahern.[116]
The BBC has described Bell X1's music as "remarkably warm — as if imported from the Caribbean via Dublin City".[118]
Side projects and solo work[edit]
David Geraghty has released two solo albums under his own name. His solo debut, Kill Your Darlings, was nominated for the 2007 Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year. More recently, Geraghty has composed music for film and television, including the Oscar-nominated short The Crush, and You're Ugly Too, which was selected for the 2015 Berlinale.[119] He has a website for this film score work here. davidgeraghtymusic.
Since 2014, David has been releasing music under the Moniker Join Me in the Pines. 2014 saw the release of "Inherit" and in 2019 "Monomania" was released.
Over the years, Paul Noonan has appeared on a number of side projects and as a guest musician (usually percussion and vocals) for fellow artists such as Cathy Davey and Gemma Hayes. Since 2011, Noonan has curated a solo project called Printer Clips which took the form of collaborations on original material with a range of female artists.[120] In May 2014, a self-titled debut album was released featuring collaborations with Joan As Policewoman, Martha Wainwright, Gemma Hayes, Amy Millan, Julia Stone, Lisa Hannigan, Danielle Harrison, Cathy Davey, Maria Doyle Kennedy and fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. In July 2017, Noonan announced solo dates across Ireland performing new material as well as songs from Bell X1 and Printer Clips.[121]
The band and individual members have been involved in several charitable endeavours, including the recording of The Cake Sale, a collaborative compilation spearheaded by former Bell X1 founding member Brian Crosby. David Geraghty wrote the opening track "Last Leaf", which was sung by Lisa Hannigan. This song also features on Geraghty's debut solo album but under the title "Long Time Running". Another song from the Cake Sake – "Some Surprise", features Noonan and Lisa Hannigan – and it appeared on an episode of Grey's Anatomy in November 2007.[122][123]
Bell X1 also contributed a track called "No Retreat, No Surrender" to the Sparks n' Mind charity compilation in aid of the Irish group Aware.[124][125]
Awards[edit]
Choice Music Prize[edit]
Bell X1's third album Flock was nominated for the 2005 Choice Music Prize. Although considered the favourite, it did not emerge as the winner on the night, with Julie Feeney's 13 Songs taking the award.[126]
Fourth album Blue Lights on the Runway was nominated for the 2009 Choice Music Prize.[127][128] It lost out to The Season of the Sparks by Irish singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley.
Bloodless Coup, Bell X1's fifth LP, was nominated for the 2011 prize, but was a runner-up to Ocean of Frequency by Jape.[129]
"Chop Chop" was nominated for the 2013 Choice Music Prize, the eventual prize for Album of the Year going to Villagers for Awayland. Villagers were a support act for Bell X1 on their 2009 UK tour.[130]