One of Ireland’s most popular bands, Bell X1 have actually moved around the map musically, from their early pop days including Flock (QRO review) to much more artistically impressive synthesized Blue Lights On the Runway (QRO review) and Bloodless Coup (QRO review), to a step back towards emotion & away from electronics in 2013’s Chop Chop (QRO review). Arms continues Chop Chop’s shift towards sweet emotion, if a bit too sweet to be truly revelatory.
After the odd mix of Bell X1 sweetness and random effects that is opener “Fail Again, Fail Better”, Arms sticks to the beauty. In general, it is a smooth beauty (“Bring Me a Fire King” has a saxophone solo), sometimes too smooth and relaxed for its own good, struggling to stand out. “Fire King” does it best, though “Sons & Daughters” is a really nice & carrying apology to our descendants.
While Arms isn’t a breakthrough for Bell X1, by this point in their career the Irishmen don’t need to, but just to continue to deliver.
