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SArrived perfectly. This one of my favorite CD's I had worn out before!

The great thing about the internet is how it enables you to discover music from all over the world. One night while browsing through a music website dedicated to jazz, soul, and R&B records around the globe, I came across the cover for this album. I'd never heard of Beady Belle and thought it an odd name for the girl in the picture so I did some quick research. Beady Belle is actually the name of a duo hailing from Norway, singer Beate S. Lech and producer/bassist Marius Reskjo, and I must say the former music students make some beautiful music together. An electrifying fusion of acid jazz, trip hop, and shades of neo-soul and world music, Beate's sweet yet powerful voice brings something extra special to these tracks. Not to mention some interesting lyrics that go far beyond the usual uninspired musings about love and matters of the heart.The opener Ghosts uses an extra dose of drum'n'bass as Beate's wearily sings about a man whose unseen problems stand in the way of their happiness together. The chorus "I've heard of your ghosts/Why won't they let you go?/I've heard of your ghosts/Why won't they let us get on with our love?" is sung with just the right amount of urgency and make this track such a highlight. The quirky Moderation discusses the mind games played by a heartbreaker stringing a naive girl along with some clever metaphors. "Just a little taste of the Christmas cake/To make sure she won't be fed up with it ... Just a little ride on the merry-go-round/To make sure she won't get sick of it" with the sarcastic refrain of "You said that absence makes the heart grow fonder/I guess that's why you don't see her any longer." Now Lose and Win could've been released as a single here in the States and most likely been a hit with its R&B flavor and splashes of reggae. It's funny to hear Beate's light, fairy-like speaking voice in the intro and then those soulful vocals soar as she lets it go and tears it down!After the On the Radio interlude, which features Beate singing the chorus to Lose and Win over static and other radio noise, the sounds of a sitar open the house-based Drawback, an eerie tale about a dog who meets a tragic end after being tied to a post and being too well trained to bark for help. "That's the dark side of obedience." While it might sound depressing, it's actually pretty good. Weird, but good. The melancholic ballad In a Good Way tries unsuccessfully to end a relationship without hurting the other person while the futuristic pop of Mobile Bubble showcases even more clever writing. "I'm going forward in a mobile bubble/I am on my way to a blank page/That is where the future is as yet novel/It's coming towards me as I age."The sunny Erykah Badu crossed with Roy Ayers-esque Game takes a tongue in cheek look at gender roles with children at play. "Boy's got a toy gun in case of war/And that's just what he's waiting for/Girl rocks her doll's pram pretending the Barbie is a baby/Boy tries his best to be hard and cool/Girl to be as soft as cotten wool/Prince is a gentleman and princess is the finest lady." I like Beate's more traditional jazz delivery here. The haunting Pantile finds the singer taking on an operatic tone while comparing herself to a type of roof tile and pointing out its importance ("In your jigsaw puzzle/I'm the invisible piece/But when it rains, you'll need me to have bliss"). The closer Consolatory Dance is nearly nine minutes of some the best funk music to cut a rug with.Although some of the lyrics seem odd at first, the gorgeous soundscapes and even more stunning voice of Miss Lech will have you going from "HUH?" to bobbing your head in an instant. People say there's no good music out there anymore. Not if you're waiting on mainstream. In order to find the good stuff, you've gotta do some searching of your own. Whether it's an super talented duo in America or the frosty land of Scandinavia, there are many new sounds waiting to be discovered. Now if this record would only get a U.S. release...

well while i was checking the reviews about drumn bass i found that sb really beahved unjust to my beady beauty! her voice is great and their performance on stage is fabulous, cant u see it s sth very different from what is known as drumn bass today she just sings as herself no unnecessary ambient! her naked voice matches really great with the rhtym behind and it s sth like a fusion of jazz soul and drumnbass and trip hop.as a consequence norway, the north again showed itself they can do this just like the british...

this is an all around great album-- i bought it in london and have turned all my friends on to it-- they love it. i never skip any tracks (well except for one) and it's been over two years! i still listen to this disc regularly. don't let the cheesy cover fool you-- she's got a hip sound especially if you're into trip-hop chill (although i always get those mixed up... but think morcheeba, massive attack, everything but the girl). you won't be dissapointed.

I just saw these guys last night at the montreal jazzfest. Interesting album, great production. Check them out if you have the chance...