The Bellrays: In The Light Of The Sun : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

If you want to understand the power of this wailing soul-punk combo, think back to junior high chemistry class -- the part where you got to see the difference between pouring acid into water and water into acid. It's no different in music: Invariably, bands that try to spike their punk with a little soul end up fizzling, while these Angelenos do the opposite, with explosive effects. This reissue of their long out-of-print '93 debut, previously available only in a limited cassette run, captures that lightning-in-a-bottle feel, thanks in large part to the visceral (but still in control) testifying of singer Lisa Kekaula. One part torch-singing diva, one part gospel shouter, the dual personae meet head-on in songs like "Can I Make You Want Me?" and "Crazy Water." Kekaula exudes a fervor that's matched, note for stinging note, by Bob Vennum's MC5-styled guitar slurry. The band has learned to shift gears a little more smoothly since the recording of In the Light of the Sun, but having 'em go full-throttle here is a mighty exhilarating ride.

DAVID SPRAGUE
(May 28, 2002)