Customer Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Album All the Way Through
Comment: Bell X1's "Flock" offers beautiful, elegant, complex melodic rock with a large variety of musical instruments. The vocal is similar to Coldplay, the music has the ethereal mood of groups like Pink Floyd and Elbow, with complex melodies (sometimes erratic) akin to Radiohead. Of course, Bell X1 is its own band with their own unique sound over all. There is more to the ear than what you hear on the first listen. Frankly, I'm stunned at how great it is. My favorite tracks are "Trampoline," "My First Born for a Song," "Flame (Chicken Lips Remix)" [Bonus MP3], "Rocky Took a Lover," and "Bad Skin Day." I am hopeful this band will rise to fame as well deserved.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good.
Comment: I admit, I don't listen to this cd much a couple of songs, I tried but I couldn't really get to loving it. It's a good cd, but its one of those cds that you need to listen to when you are in the mood.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not hearing the Radiohead but...
Comment: To me this is sort of a Snow Patrol album with a sprinkling of Modest Mouse - and it's pulled off with some success. Tracks like `Flame' and `Reacharound' are bouncy and fun and really make you recall the recent success of Modest Mouse's single `Float On'. If I were more cynical - I would claim that it was a rip off - but I don't know the history of either band and refuse to speculate.
Then you have a Snow Patrol sound that seems to permeate throughout the rest of the tracks. The almost overly dramatic production with strings, piano and lyrics that make me think of teen TV programs. They pull it off well - and it's fun to hear - but it's not terribly `new'.
The one standout that I feel combines the two styles pretty cleverly is `Bigger Than Me' - it has those lyrics that make you think you could see it during an inspirational montage on your favorite teen TV drama - but the bounciness that one could expect from a Modest Mouse track. It's a great song and I enjoy it - but I feel one can tell that it's reaching for recognition rather than being silently good and waiting to be discovered.
I get frustrated with a couple of the tracks - as I think the repetition on some tracks such as `First Born for a Song' and `He Said, She Said' - is showing of lack of creativity.
The title of this album `Flock' does suggest that these comparisons were bound to happen. I'm left wondering - are they suggesting with it that they are one in the flock? Or are they pointing to the flock and saying - everyone else is doing it - why not us in a very tongue in cheek approach?
I do enjoy this album for what it is - it's fun to listen to and to tap my feet along with. Though I don't feel that the content is not too fresh (and that may be intentional) - but it's not too stale that it won't satisfy you either.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Comment: I bought this disc on a wim and am very pleased. There's not a clunker on the disc. If you like Marillion, Embrace, or Radiohead this CD has the feel of each of these bands dispursed thoughout. Bell X1 has a refreshing sound. Check them out, you won't be sorry.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Lush, Beautiful Alternative Rock
Comment: Irish band Bell-X1 have a real winner here with their debut release in the U.S., "Flock". This is definately the kind of album which seems simple at first blush, but reveals layers of subtlety upon further spins, becoming the kind of thing you feel compelled to listen to over and over again....
"Flock" is the kind of music just about anyone would enjoy....the kind of thing you would spin at a party or alone on your ipod. Often drawing comparisons to Radiohead, Bell X-1 actually have a very warm, mature and robust sound which avoids much of the technological, electronica trappings of Thom Yorke's aesthetic. They are, nonetheless, musicially similiar in their use of effects and atmospheric soundscapes. A more precise analogy would be Radiohead meets British art-rock veterans Marillion and the Australian band Powderfinger. Very intelligent, mature and immersive modern rock. Highly recommended!
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