Like the complexity of New England weather and its’ respective changing of the seasons, the newest release from Boston’s Parlour Bells is no less complex and thought-provoking while also managing to encompass those enormous swings in barometric pressure that seem to happen regardless of the date. Most recently on “Slasher Movie Weather”, PB proved our point with a track that’s haunting and a perfect fit for Spooky SZN (Is that how the kids say it???) but also celebrates the last fading embers of campfires and Summertime adventures. And the rest of To Be or Not To Behave strives for the same with delightful results.
Anyway!
We cover a lot of singles in these pages but, if we’re being honest with y’all, we live for EP and LP releases as we feel singles are like a snapshot when we want the whole photo album. We’re not looking for that chapter or excerpt that’s published ahead of time to entice potential readers, we want the whole 800 page novel (Or, in the case of this particular EP, novella)! That said, it seems as if we’ve been hyping up the upcoming new release from Parlour Bells and laying out those breadcrumbs for all to follow here because at the end of the day we’re suckers for great music. Especially of the local variety.
And Parlour Bells check both those boxes starting the upcoming new release with “Knight Owl” which originally debuted back in July. Just as it did mid-summer, “Knight Owl” is a definitive mood-setter with Goddamn Glenn’s smooth, sexy vocal delivery slithering its’ way into your earholes (In a good way) as Allison Sigrist’s keys set a VIBE for this pairing that’s like Ric Ocasek and Greg Hawkes for 2024 while Michael Johnson’s soloing lets loose when not laying down some steady shreds. “Dixies” sees Johnson’s guitar work on full display again for a subdued stomper that’s got Goddamn Glenn giving a tender yet tantalizing performance with Tony Porter’s drumming and Mike Leggio’s bass in a sort of rhythmic riposte with one another.
Then we get to “Slasher Movie Weather” and while we cannot say enough great things about both this and the accompanying video (Have you watched it yet?? Head below then back here if you haven’t!), we kind of dig that the version on To Be Or Not To Behave is VASTLY different coming off as more serene and less sinister leaning towards a New Wave style akin to Tears For Fears or White Lies. Apologies on stealing someone’s moniker but “The Ballad of Felix Moncla (2024 Version)” is so GODDAMN good on its’ own and especially as an album ender. An updated version of a song originally recorded remotely and released during the coronavirus pandemic (Check that out here), this new version organically enhances the original fanciful fable of a seldom told tale of American UFO history into a constant state of fluidity with Sigrist’s keys on the prowl (And echoing a theremin at times to heighten the otherworldly air), Porter and Leggio accenting the mysterious tone, Johnson’s guitar work practically out of this world, and Goddamn Glenn’s croon positively probing while undeniably pensive.
To Be Or Not To Behave arrives on September 27th and you can get yours the instant the clock hits 12:01 AM EST by heading here, here, or here. For more from Parlour Bells, follow them across the information superhighway when you click here or here.