Music Review: The Belated - Belief in the Process
Process Delivers Solid Results
With Belief in the Process, The Belated’s sophomore album released in late 2009, the band worked steadily over two years to produce a record that would surpass their 2007 debut You Will All Fade Away. Listening to the eleven songs on the new album, it’s evident that the process has paid off with notable results.
The Belated’s sound has been associated with a ’90s era style typified by guitar-driven, grandiose overtures akin to Radiohead and Muse. Lead vocalist/guitarist Michael Richardson doesn’t flinch from that reference. “A lot of that stuff does come out. It’s not something we strive for,” says Richardson. “We were heavily influenced by that phase during our formative years.”
Take a poll of musicians anywhere and ask them what they listened to when they were 17-25 in age. Odds are, as they grow older, the formative sounds of that era continue to influence their music preferences. The members of The Belated aren’t oblivious to the music of a bygone decade, but channel those influences as they craft songs defined by their personal style, that hopefully stand the test of time.
Several songs on Belief in the Process do nod to the band’s guitar-intensive ’90s era sound, but a handful of new compositions incorporate more melody and harmony that offers a fresh dynamic. The transition results from an organic collaboration between principal songwriters Richardson and Jason Ulanet (bass, keys).
Thematically, the eleven songs on Belief are broken into three movements. “Intelligent Redesign” and “I Don’t Remember” intentionally sound like bonus tracks from the debut record.
The Belated made a video of the lead single “Intelligent Redesign” aided by the talent of local video editor/producer extraordinaire Brian Hicks. The band bangs and blares away with trademark intensity as Richardson’s go-for-broke vocals soar. In the video, new drummer Stephanie Williams wallops on the drums. (See sidebar regarding lineup changes.) recordBar’s most colorful denizen Ricardo Mejia makes a cameo appearance dancing in full regalia.
The song is a “lighthearted take on a serious topic,” says Richardson. “It’s a conversation between man and the supernatural. If you’re speaking for a higher power, then you better know what you’re talking about.” He points to the recent comments of Pat Robertson about Haiti as a perfect example of man’s presumptuous, self-important pronouncements on behalf of God.
After the introductory two-song segue, the band edges into fresh territory. “Someone/Somehow” and "Sacred" show us another facet of the Richardson/Ulanet songwriting team.
Ulanet’s keys rumble like a surly church organ on “Sacred.” The low end, bluesy sound adds melody and oomph, underscoring the knife-edge of Richardson’s impassioned singing. “Someone/Somehow” is sinuous; delicate percussion and subdued guitar notes shift and settle like flowing sand dunes subject to the wind’s whimsy. Richardson’s voice is tender and restrained until a tremolo guitar riff punctuates the closing and keys swell in just the right places. Deftly, The Belated uses a less heavy-handed approach to make a powerful emotional impact.
The middle movement puts more emphasis on melody and harmony, varies the song structure, and explores different dynamics. Not every track is quite so blatantly intense. “Easy” chips away with a subdued opening marked by Drew Black's Radiohead-like guitar work.
Ulanet’s sinister piano work and a menacing guitar tread up and down the backbone of “Escalation.” The chase is on when dramatic bass and drums kick in. Richardson howls like a cool, determined fiend stalking alleyways in the dead of night. Clearly, the band has a lot of fun vamping on this number.
Several of the songs on this album (“We Don’t Belong,” Daily Rose”) are actually old material that has been reworked over the past three years. For the first album, Richardson brought most of his ideas to the band. They helped to add bridges, work out transitions and chords, and flesh out the bones of the song. Now, Ulanet and Richardson each bring strong concepts to meetings and the band embellishes them with further arrangements.
Ulanet, a classically trained pianist, deserves ample credit for thrilling piano progressions that add zip (“Escalation” and “We Don’t Belong”), and for coordinating an orchestrated approach to song craft that results in lean songs with no fluff. “Jason will pick a song apart,” says Richardson. “He’s a stickler for accountability, for including something only if it’s necessary.”
When writing material, Richardson tends to rely on melody to make a statement through the verse and chorus of a song. He has also varied the volume and delivery of his singing style with varied results. His vocals are generally raspy and guttural. High notes don't always mesh well when they rise above the music. Overall, Richardson expresses the lyrics with a touch more more finesse and less gusto.
“Vocally, I didn’t think about delivery when I approached the last album,” says Richardson. “The ideas came organically. The songs have a raw sound. On this album, I spent more time on what I’m singing and how. I have a habit of pushing to the extreme and making a bold statement. I have no need to play it safe. I push it when it’s called for.”
Not every song on Belief reaches for the rafters vocally. “Wound” clearly signals that The Belated is heading in a fresh direction. Melodic keys, a more relaxed singing style, quiet background vocals, a deft touch on percussion, and expressive guitar work combine effortlessly to sweep the listener along. It’s a pivotal song in the third movement that highlights the band’s artistic growth.
The eleven songs on the recording reveal the band’s willingness to take chances and grow bit by bit. The album is not meant to be picked through for individual songs, but instead heard as a body of work. From beginning to end, the album is cohesive and solid musically. “The album is a collection of material,” says Richardson. “I’m excited people are spending time with it. We’re proud of it.”
For The Belated, their belief in the process is validated. Less epic in nature than their debut, this latest album works as a transitional statment that looks forward and puts some distance from their past.
Lineup Changes
Since 2007, the band has adapted to two key lineup changes while completing two recordings. Richardson, Ulanet, and drummer Ryan Sartin formed the original core of the band. Sartin left and was replaced by drummer Nick Combs. Guitarist Drew Black also came on board to muscle up the band’s guitar armada. This lineup played a number of live shows and gradually put the finishing touches on Belief. Then, Combs departed in summer 2009 from the band. Formidable drummer Stephanie Williams stepped in to learn the songs and now knocks the hell out of the skins, solidifying the band’s roster once again.
Music" is proudly sponsored by American Jazz Museum.
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