Pulling back the curtain for a moment, one of the perks of reviewing albums is that when you fall in love with a new album, you have an outlet to shout about it. But sometimes it’s a double-edged sword, as writing a review also forces you to put into words why you love an album beyond, “It’s awesome. You should listen to it.”
I share this because my immediate reaction to hearing the Belair Lip Bombs sophomore album Again is simply: It’s awesome. You should listen to it.
A big reason for this is that Again is a big tent, crowd-pleasing album that I could recommend to just about anybody. You don’t get indie rock with this kind of wide appeal all that often these days. Many artists (understandably) play to their niche, their genre. The Belair Lip Bombs seemed to be playing that game too, on their 2023 album, Lush Life. It’s a solid debut, full of hooky songs with earnest vocals, but it’s also squarely post-punk. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Many great bands have long, fantastic discographies solely in that lane.
But Again finds the Belair Lip Bombs ditching genre allegiances to create songs that, frankly, would’ve been alternative and even mainstream radio hits in the 1990s. This is Buzz Bin rock for 2025. They still have their established propulsive rhythms and angular riffs, and now have added shimmering guitars, soaring vocals, and joyous melodies that you’ll be bopping to in your head for days afterwards.
Put all together, the songs feel like new old friends. You recognize elements, but the band isn’t aping any one particular artist or era. Like the song “If You’ve Got the Time” feels like if Sheryl Crow and the Beths collaborated on a summertime anthem, down to the post-chorus handclaps. “Back Of My Hand” is a jangly, rolling Waxahatchee-esque love song that—spoiler—goes on to feature crunchy Weezer guitars. It’s refreshing to hear an indie rock band that’s not afraid to go this big and inviting, and it’s great that they’re able to do so on their new label, Jack White’s Third Man Records. Hopefully it’s the right fit for such ambitions.
At the same time, the band keeps Again from ever feeling like a calculated major label sell-out album—a real danger for Buzz Bin bands!—thanks to the open-hearted yearning of lead singer Maisie Everett. Her melodic vocals keep the songs honest and grounded at all times, whether it’s a powerpop look at the ex you can’t shake (“Cinema”), an expansive new wave take on what could’ve been (“Another World”), or even a cathartic rocker like “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair).” Her voice keeps these songs feeling equally ready for both your headphones and an outdoor amphitheater, or even an arena.Here’s hoping the band gets that chance. Again shows the Belair Lip Bombs finding their voice, and they know it. You can hear their bold, bright confidence on these songs. So one more time: It’s awesome. You should listen to it.
