Independent punk rock band Belvedere is scheduled to release its latest album Friday. Hindsight is the Sixth Sense, the band’s third album, is scheduled for release through Thousand Island Records and Lockjaw Records. The 13-song record will appeal equally to the band’s established audience base and to punk purists in general. That is proven in part through the album’s musical arrangements. They will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes presented throughout the album add their own appeal. They will be discussed a little later. The album’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the 34-minute album. All things considered, they make the album a punk purist’s dream come true.
Belvedere’s forthcoming album, Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is a work that fits well into any punk purist’s music library. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements featured in this record are pure punk rock for the most part. As a matter of fact, when listeners compare the arrangements featured in this album to the works in the band’s existing catalog, the up-tempo, guitar-driven works are everything that audiences have come to expect from the band. The comparisons to works from the likes of Pennywise, Chaser, and Radio Thieves are just as clear here as in the band’s existing albums for that matter. While the arrangements do tend to stay true to a familiar sound and stylistic approach in this album, there is at least one song that breaks that mold. It comes in the form of ‘Retina.’ This song actually opens with something of a thrash style approach that plays out in the song’s choruses. That sound and stylistic approach, against the band’s more familiar pure punk sound makes this one of the album’s most interesting musical points. There are other points throughout the album that present some metal influence, but nowhere near as evident in this case. All things considered, the general familiarity of the album’s musical content gives the noted audiences enough to appreciate.
The musical arrangements that make up the body of Belvedere’s new album are in themselves reason enough for the noted audiences to take in this record. They are just a part of what will make the album appealing to the band’s target audiences. The album’s lyrical themes are just as much pure punk as its musical arrangements. Case in point is the lyrical theme featured in ‘Retina.’ This song’s lyrical theme takes on the powers that be so to speak. This is made clear as front man Steve Rawles sings, “We’re placing all our faith in institutions/(When every fuckin’ time they let us down)/Another protest can’t relieve this evolution/What cost, it’s always in your thoughts/You felt the same, the same/A masterful thought takeover/It’s criminal and moreover/Never, regarded, insane.” The statement here is clear and follows very much in similar fashion as the nearly three-minute song progresses. It is that defiant, anti-establishment anthem for which punk rock has come to be known over the genre’s history.
‘Good Grief Retreat,’ one of the album’s singles is another example of how the album’s familiar lyrical themes will appeal to Belvedere’s key audiences. As Rawles pointed out in a recent interview, “This song speaks of the average worker and the system that benefits off their labour. While the rich can hide behind laws, regulations and a corporate veil that doesn’t hold them accountable for their actions, the worker never gets ahead and has no chance of closing the wage and lifestyle gap. The Retreat in the title refers to the general populace demanding better conditions.” Again, this is a topic that is quite familiar to punk bands across the board. Keeping that in mind, it will engage and entertain listeners just as much as the lyrical theme featured in ‘Retina.’ ‘Peace in Our Time’ is one more example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. It is another familiar commentary about society and everything going on. From tackling the powers that be, to people’s innate desire to point the finger, this song goes after both. The statements are illustrated in the song’s statement, “Heedless of the consequence to reap what you have sown/Lay the blame on someone else, to misdirect your own/It’s hard to gauge the loss of innocence/You set the bar, you cast the die/Dead mothers, fathers, sons and daughters/But never tell us why/They question where’s the retribution.” The overall statement is expanded in another verse, which states, Should I take a dive/Or should i go a few more rounds?/I’m crying on the sidelines as the final buzzer sounds/All the same old butchers/With a different badge in hand/And all that we demand is/Freedom, but not without a price.” This social commentary is, again, familiar territory for the band and for punk and its fans. Keeping that in mind, it is one more way in which the album’s lyrical content ensures listeners engaged and entertained in this record. When it is considered along with the other themes noted here and the rest of the album’s presented lyrical themes, the whole leaves no doubt as to the importance of the album’s lyrical content. That content and the album’s musical arrangements are just part of what audiences will find appealing about the record. Its sequencing rounds out its most important elements.
The sequencing of Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is important to note because it ensures the album’s energy remains high from beginning to end. There are some subtle variances in terms of the overall stylistic approach to the songs. That keeps things just interesting enough in that avenue. The energy though, remains stable from the record’s opening to its finale. Keeping that in mind, the album’s sequencing puts the finishing touch to its presentation. When it is considered along with the album’s overall content, the whole makes this record a presentation that listeners will appreciate in their initial listen and in hindsight.
Belvedere’s forthcoming album Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is a presentation that will appeal equally to the band’s established audience base and to punk purists. That is due in part to the album’s musical arrangements. The arrangements featured in this record are everything that audiences have come to expect from the band. They are also works that prove familiar to any punk fan what with their up-tempo approaches, and distinct vocal approaches. The lyrical themes featured throughout the album are just as familiar to all of the noted audiences as the album’s musical arrangements. To that end, that increased familiarity will appeal even more to the noted audiences. The sequencing used throughout the album does its own part to keep audiences listening. It keeps the album’s energy high throughout even with the subtle changes in the arrangements’ stylistic approaches. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make the album a work that holds its own in this year’s field of new punk records. Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is scheduled for release Friday through Thousand Islands Records and Lockjaw Records.
More information on Belvedere’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://belvederepunkrock.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belvedere669
Twitter: https://twitter.com/belvedere669
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