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The Belle Sounds

by The Belle Sounds

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1.
BOURBON ON YOUR LIPS You be the vase and I’ll be the flowers I’ll be the minutes inside your hours I’ll be the end to your bad day If you be the thing I long to say But don’t, don’t be mad at me Don’t, don’t, don’t be mad I’ll be the glow around your star You can sing like strings on my guitar I’ll be the bourbon on your lips If you be the belt around my hips But don’t, don’t be mad at me Don’t, don’t, don’t be mad There’s a pony that could ride us into the sun And this is just a moment In a moment it will be done, done, done Don’t be mad at me Don’t, don’t be mad at me I’ll be the blue light in your flame If you be the bulls eye to my aim You be the sinker and the hook I’ll be the last page of your book
2.
SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE – music and lyrics by Noëlle Hampton Ever since I was I child I was taught to feel like I don’t deserve you And I’m haunted every night by the feeling That I haven’t earned you You tease me with a taste Then make me feel like I’m going crazy To care about something so illusive and so amazing MONEY -- You make me feel so hollow MONEY -- I have to beg or borrow MONEY -- You know I feel so empty When you say you’re going to come around Somehow you know you always forsake me I don’t trust myself around you enough to make the right decisions and you’re the only one that has the power to change my opinions and although I want to write you off I keep getting this feeling That someday you’re going to stick around If only I could just keep believing MONEY – You want to take me downtown MONEY – You turn me all around MONEY – You’ll probably leave me for another The way that this is going I don’t know why I even bother Oooohhh, Ooohhhh….. MONEY – don’t think that you can break me MONEY – and don’t think that you make me MONEY – I’ll see you somewhere down the line You’ll be begging for forgiveness ‘cause you know that you should have been mine Begging for forgiveness ‘cause you know that you should have been mine
3.
Away Away 04:41
AWAY AWAY Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Like a wave on the ocean, won’t you bring it on home ‘Cause it’s escaping and taking the center of my heart And as a toxic seed is planted deep in ground We can’t cut it, or break it, or even burn it down It becomes a thing and you stay Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Well, I could go, just like you, I could disappear for days Never knowing or feeling the building bitter pain But as you touch me, I see into the water’s depth And there’s a shining glimmer, a glimpse of what is left Then it goes away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away (Try try try try) Bring it on home (Try try try try) Bring it on home Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Away, away, away, away Bring it on home
4.
Cassiopeia 04:14
CASSIOPEIA – words and music by Noëlle Hampton There’s something different about you lately I see the shadows around your eyes Hear a different beat to your heart But we all know how it is to try and stop once you start You’re like a greyhound on a racetrack Out of the gate you’re running fast You’re going to wear yourself down Take it easy on the first lap There’s another time around This is your warning This is your warning This is your warning Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia You still got light to give You can kick this if you want to Put on the gloves, get in the ring and start swinging left and right Every day’s another chance, but every night’s another fight You know you’re in a great position You’re still young enough to change all of those little things That later add up to changing everything This is your warning This is your warning Let this be your warning Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia You still got light to give Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia, Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia You still got light to give Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia Don’t burn out, Cassiopeia You still got light, Cassiopeia (Don’t burn out, Don’t burn out, Don’t burn out…fade)
5.
THE STARRY EYED – words and music by Noëlle Hampton There’s a ship leaving early in the morning That’s full of people just like you and me We’ll leave before the day that’s dawning Where people live in fear of what they dream You must forgive the starry eyed ‘cause they’ll always see things the way they do And they live in a world where all the dreams have died Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed Don’t fear us, come join us ‘Cause you know that you can’t do it all alone The constellations will guide us The moon will light us a path All the way home You must forgive the starry eyed ‘cause they’ll always see things the way they do And they live in a world where all the dreams have died Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed All that doubt will only drown you Let it fall away like rain They live in a world where all the dreams have dies Yeah they live in a world where all the dreams have died Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed ‘Cause they’ll always see things the way they do And they live in a world where all the dreams have died Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed Forgive (Forgive) the starry eyed
6.
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG – words and music by Noëlle Hampton Can we get it back? Can we get it back? Ooohhh that feeling we had when we were young When we were young Drive up the coast and get lost in the hours Ooooh, no one has to know Hold me tight by the radio towers The sun comes up, we’ll make it home somehow Can we get it back? Can we get it back? Ooohhh that feeling we had when we were young When we were young Grab our friends and head down to the river Ooohh, the sun can burn our skin Stay all day ‘til we start to shiver And pass the bottle ‘round and ‘round again Can we get it back? Can we get it back? And as the years go something changes And we’re not just living for ourselves And when it all starts getting faded We want to remember how it was Can we get it back? Can we get it back? Ooohhh that feeling we had when we were young When we were young Oh you know that feeling we had when we were young When we were young Ooohhh that feeling we had when we were young When we were young
7.
ROCKINGHAM LANE – words and music by Noëlle Hampton I didn’t know you lived on Rockingham Lane The yellow house with the baby blue porch swing My aching heart could finally feel no pain ‘Til I saw your car go down Rockingham Lane Rockingham Lane Is where I saw my love again Rockingham Lane Like a moth to a flame, oh I got burned After all these years you’d think my heart would learn How many times I have driven past this way Now I know you are here and you live on Rockingham Lane Rockingham Lane Is where I saw my love again Rockingham Lane Is where I saw my love again Just like you I’ve been moving on I’ve had so many different lovers since you’ve been gone What is it love’s made of makes it sting so bad? The bitter pain of losing that thing you never had Rockingham Lane Is where I saw my love again Rockingham Lane Is where I saw my love again Rockingham Lane It’s where I saw my love again Rockingham Lane
8.
Night Owl 04:39
NIGHT OWL – music and lyrics by Noëlle Hampton Night owl, Night Owl You’re racing through the blue light to my side Night owl, Night Owl Quiet through the cool air, do you fly Night owl, Night Owl Is it just the thrill, which we seek? Night owl, Night Owl Be on your way, but you’ll come back to me Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Night owl, Night Owl Will you calm my mind and ease my heart Night owl, Night Owl Please just calm my mind and ease my heart Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Night owl, Night Owl The stars have left, the sky is turning bright Night owl, Night Owl And now you’re gone, I heard your wings take flight Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down Darkness won’t you stay ‘til I go down ‘til I go down ‘til I go down ‘til I go down
9.
Island 03:26
ISLAND – words and music by Noëlle Hampton The sands could blow away A wave could hit today But it’s way down deep- what holds us up The storms just passed us by And somehow we survived another crazy night We are an island, island Nothing can touch us way out here And all around us love’s disasters Are ships that fade then disappear My friends keep giving up And sink when water’s rough But don’t fear, don’t fear, love will shine again You’ll know it when it comes The warmth of real sun Can’t fool even the heartbroken one We are an island, island Nothing can touch us way out here And all around us love’s disasters Are ships that fade then disappear So hold on tight through weather and through war Sometimes what’s right is to love each other more In times of anger in times when you can’t find the strength to be together We are an island, We are an island Island, Island Nothing can touch us way out here And all around us love’s disasters Are ships that fade then disappear
10.
JUST LIKE GOLD – words and music by Noëlle Hampton It’s pretty clear, by now I know you’re not a friend You launch ahead, you leave your dust for everyone But there’s no race and there’s no ribbon to be won Just a pretty face, alone again without anyone For what you put me through Well I can forgive but you can’t undo It’s times like this I count my blessings For what’s real and true And I wish somehow I could take back the love I gave to you ‘Cause it’s just like gold In proper hands it can buy everything But you spent it fast like cold hard cash Now you have nothing For what you put me through Well I can forgive but you can’t undo So what’s so hard, what could be so hard about trusting? This ain’t no game If you play your Queen I won’t play my King I’m not here to trump you I was only trying to be like golden wings To an injured bird lying on the ground With a song to sing For what you put me through Well I may forgive but you can’t undo For what you put me through Ooooh I, I, I can forgive but you can’t undo Ooooh I, I, I can forgive but you can’t undo Ooooh I, I, I can forgive but you can’t undo
11.
SPARROW’S CRY The trees are blooming crazy in this town The light has changed, and sun is sticking ‘round The chill is through, the chill is through Sometimes I need the comfort of your voice And I know the consequences of my choice But I think of you, I think of you Ooooohh I hear a lonely sparrow cry And as fast as winter’s here it says goodbye Oh but time with you can always heal my heart As it’s done from the very start The fireflies will soon be on their way And I finally had some time I could escape The Texas sun, the Texas sun And even just a couple days with you You clear away the haze that makes me blue In California sun, California Sun Ooooohh I hear a lonely sparrow cry And as fast as Spring is here it says goodbye Oh but time with you can always heal my heart As it’s done from the very start And summer flies by and days you can’t recount And the birds are back again And I’m fine for the most part, but I could always use a friend Of all the years that we have been apart It’s funny how I never feel that far Away from you, away from you oooohhhh Ooooohh I hear a lonely sparrow cry And as fast as Autumn’s here it says goodbye Oh but time with you can always heal my heart As it’s done from the very start Ooooohh I hear a lonely sparrow cry And as fast as Winter’s here it says goodbye Oh but time with you can always heal my heart As it’s done from the very start As it’s done from the very start

about

Noëlle Hampton sings like a wistful angel, her warm honeyed tones dripping with tender resignation. She’s released four albums under her own name, all marked by uplifting melodies, insightful lyrics, her quietly powerful vocals and the understated guitar virtuosity of her husband and musical partner, André Moran. With their new band, The Belle Sounds, she continues exploring deep emotions with a collection marked by her characteristic insight and compassion.

“I wanted to go back to the songwriter/indie rocker vibe that first got me started,” she explains. “I wanted something different, even though the thought of something completely new at this stage of our careers is both exciting and terrifying.” It took Hampton almost a year to write these songs, but after recording eight of the new songs in Austin, they realized the music was not in line with her vision. “We stopped cold and took almost a year to contemplate a new approach. In that time, I wrote more songs, all tilting in this new direction, and we realized this was the perfect opportunity to start a band project.”

After a long search for the right producer, Hampton and Moran found Neilson Hubbard at Mr. Lemons studio in East Nashville, TN. They recorded most of the record in two weeks and their spontaneous energy shows in every note. With producer and multi-instrumentalist Neilson Hubbard (Garrison Starr, Glen Phillips, Kim Richey) and drummer Evan Hutchings, they made an album marked by buoyant pop melodies, poignant lyrics, moody keyboards, reverb drenched guitars and a sense of delirious melancholy.

The bright folk/pop on The Belle Sounds balances electric and acoustic instruments to surround Hampton with lush arrangements that compliment her passionate vocals. Moran’s subtle, shimmering electric guitar arpeggios set the stage for “Island,” a dreamy celebration of love’s power to keep you safe, even when disaster is looming. Twinkling piano and Hampton’s sinuous, processed harmonies support the lilting melody of “Away Away,” a contrast to a vocal ripe with the mellow longing of a broken heart. Charlie Faye and Will Sexton add harmonies to “The Starry Eyed,” a ballad that salutes the dreamers and artists of the world. “Bourbon on Your Lips” is an uplifting pop tune with a serious message about the tension between love and anger in a relationship. Moran’s playful, chiming guitar and Hutchings’ propulsive drumming balance Hampton’s ardent vocal. (“Bourbon” will be featured on the soundtrack of Dark Skies, the Kerri Russell film directed by Scott Stewart.) The delicious tension between Hampton’s soulful, simmering vocals and the band’s uplifting arrangements makes The Belle Sounds is a perfect album for solitary late-night reveries, or playing at top volume on a long cross country drive, a collection that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve.

Hampton and Moran met in San Francisco. Both had played in other bands, but when they met, something clicked. “When I first saw André I walked up to him and said, ‘I think I came here to meet you tonight,’” Hampton recalls. “We went on one date and we’ve been together ever since.” Hampton had just left a band, but wanted to enter a contest to win a slot to play on Sarah McLachlan’s Lilith Fair; she asked Moran to be her backing guitarist. They won the contest and Hampton received rave reviews for her performance during the 1998 Lilith Fair. Soon after, she appeared the first iTunes commercial with Iggy Pop, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, Jeff Tweedy, Exene, Barry White, Ziggy Marley, Dwight Yoakam and many more.

After years of relentless touring and four albums, Hampton and Moran moved to Austin, Texas. “We were exhausted,” Hampton says. “We’d played hundreds of gigs, toured, made albums and tried to get the music out there. In Austin, we focused on getting jobs and making friends. The thought of putting together another band was overwhelming, so I stopped.” Moran continued playing with other people and teaching recording classes, but Hampton took a day job and stopped performing.

When “Here on the Ground,” a song from her 2002 EP, Five for the Road, was licensed for the ABC show Men in Trees, Hampton started writing again. Her next album, Thin Line, saw her moving away from pop for a sound that was more roots-rock, influenced by the country and folk sounds of Austin. With The Belle Sounds, she’s leaned back to the indie/songwriter side, yet still incorporated all of her influences to give us some of the most exquisite songs she’s ever written.

The 5 piece band they perform with has brought about a revelation for Noëlle. "We worked for months to put a band together that could match what we did on the record. It wasn't easy, but we have found some AMAZING players and people to surround ourselves with. Having 3 part harmonies is blowing my mind. It is making me write differently as well, so we look forward to the journey toward the next record as well. At this point, I have an incredible perspective on the industry and my music. We create because we can. We play music because we want to. We don’t have any expectations from the industry, and it doesn’t have any of us. We are independent musicians and we love it. All we can do is strive to constantly be better than the day before.”

"Effervescent folk-pop done with tremendous buoyancy and melodicism, one can’t help but be swept away by the sheer infectious tunefulness that’s richly evident in this spot-on delightful album. Noelle Hampton’s sweet honeydew voice soars with breathtaking grace and agility. The harmonic arrangements likewise hit the dulcet spot, thanks to both the superbly proficient playing and the sure grasp of heavenly lush hooks. In addition, the songwriting digs deep into a strong melancholy mood with often touching results (the haunting “Away Away” in particular is simply heartbreaking in its plain-spoken articulation of forlorn regret). A beautifully fragile and affecting little jewel." - Joe Wawrzyniak, JerseyBeat.com

The Belle Sounds (www.thebellesounds.com)– Here’s another of the duos that are so popular nowadays. This one pairs husband & wife Andre Moran and Noelle Hampton. The Austin-based couple’s music is more poppy than twangy but always marvelously melodic. “Bourbon” is the song I would order firsts off of their Neilson Hubbard-produced eponymous debut. -Musical Shapes/Michael Berick

credits

released April 30, 2013

Noelle Hampton: acoustic guitar, vocals
Andre Moran: electric & acoustic guitars, lap steel
Neilson Hubbard: bass, piano, vocals
Evan Hutchings: drums, tambourine drum, percussion

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The Belle Sounds Austin, Texas

Synth-pop quintet The Belle Sounds have been called “one of the best pop bands in Austin” (Austin American Statesman), “Best New Band” (Austin Chronicle) Their sound is rich with effervescent harmonies & poignant lyricism, floating guitars and sparkling synths, all anchored by a reverence for good old fashioned hooks. ... more

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