Editorial Reviews One of the problems with classifying music is that it almost always does a disservice to the bands that come to be defined by a specific genre. Take Belleville, whose latest release My Friends Are My Estate has enough pedal steel, bluegrass-inspiration and harmonica to guarantee them a spot among the legions of alt-country wannabes. Add to that the fact that the band is named after Belleville, IL, the hometown of alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, and Belleville would appear to have painted themselves into a creative corner. And while alt-country may not be an entirely inaccurate label, Belleville proves to operate as much in the pop tradition as they do in country or roots rock. My Friends Are My Estate is loaded with tight, clever tunes that show Belleville to be smarter and more skilled than many of the bands they are likely to be classified with. The opening track, "Light," is a shuffling rave-up that sets the tone for what follows. Particularly telling, however, is the second cut, "Wait to Stop." This is a pop gem that defies categorization, complete with string accompaniment and Beach Boy harmonies. Like Joe Pernice who continues to defy his alt-country categorization, Belleville appears poised to follow his lead. "Sunday" opens with a Bacharach-esque trumpet flourish and piano accompaniment. Front man Mark Caputo sings, "Life can be a hard master, I know, I've done my time," setting the tone for the entire album. What follows is a fine album that bounces between styles like flipping through a music fan's record collection. Belleville has managed to create a gem of an album that continues to grow more and more appealing with each listen. With any luck, Belleville will avoid any labels placed on them and continue to make solid music for music fans uninterested in genre limitations.
My Friends Are My Estate
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Fufkin (The Big Takeover) November,2002
'My Friends Are My Estate' includes ten original songs that combine jangle’n’twang in a very appealing fashion.
Miles of Music, October, 2002
Belleville successfully weave their way through a variety of Americana checkpoints. Thread throughout by terrific songwriting and melodic melodies.
Album Description
Belleville, My Friends Are My Estate. Del-Tona Records 2002