MySpace.com - Bell Hollow - Brooklyn, New York - Alternative / Post punk / Indie

PRESS
"Our bet is that within ten seconds of discussing the noirish Bell Hollow, someone drops a Smiths reference in the conversation.'" (The L Magazine, April 23, 2008) Link to magazine

"Bell Hollow may hail from New York, but their skill at filtering influences from British 80s indie through the mesh of the twenty-first century might have you believing they're a cool new UK outfit. Guitars chime expansively, the rhythm section stretches like a cat before the fire: there's a sense of space and flow in the music that recalls such luminaries of atmospheric indie as the Comsat Angels, the Chameleons or even - yes - The Smiths. I'm reluctant to hang such weighty names round the neck of a band that's only just made its first album, but Bell Hollow are entirely capable of holding their own in that exalted company." - Uncle Nemesis (Nemesis to Go, UK, Issue 5, April 2008) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow opened for New Model Army Thursday night at Southpaw, the first time that I saw the band play live. Simply put - the band is impressive...Bell Hollow perfectly captures the shoegazer sounds of the early 80's Brit-pop bands. Points of comparison are The Chameleons and The Smiths." - Brooklyn Mike (BrooklynRocks, March 22, 2008) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow took to more ethereal soundscapes, mixing the swirling effects of the sorely missed shoegaze genre with the sometimes playful, sometimes wistful edge of classic post-punk and guitar pop... Their first proper full-length 'Foxgloves' celebrates and expands on the band's influences, which include the Chameleons, Sad Lovers and Giants, and Kitchens of Distinction. Standouts include opening number 'Seven Sisters,' the slow dirge of 'Lowlights,' and 'Eyes Like Planets.'" - Frank Deserto (Deathrock Magazine, Issue 2, Winter 2008) Link to magazine

"On "Eyes Like Planets," the band gets moody, echoing the Bunnymen and stretching out like "Disintegration"”-era Cure. Bell Hollow, in other words, may be the perfect band for anyone who wishes they'd been 17 in 1985." - Kenneth Partridge (The Deli Magazine, March 18, 2008) Link to interview

Click to read Bell Hollow interview (part 1: "Gibson Les Paul 1960 Reissue, Vintage Boss Pedals And More With Bell Hollow") in Gearwire, March 17, 2008

Click to read Bell Hollow interview (part 2: "Neumann U67, U87, ProTools, A Gibson F-2 Mandolin And More With Bell Hollow") in Gearwire, March 17, 2008

"At a time when Post-Punk influences are everywhere the seamless beauty that is Bell Hollow’s debut album 'Foxgloves' bears serious scrutiny. A band with a past, with experience, with modern enthusiasm - the perfect mixture? Certainly a band with pretty much something for everyone who reads this magazine." - Mick Mercer (The Mick, UK, Issue 42, March 2008) Link to interview

"Dream-poppers, shoe-gazers, and lovers of early 80's college rock: do yourselves a favor. Pick up a copy of Foxgloves, pop it into your soon-to-be-antiquated disc player, and join the Brooklyn-based quartet as they take you on a twenty five year dream-pop voyage in 42 minutes. The songs are so deep and so inviting that you’ll want to restart the album as soon as its finished. There’s a lot to be enjoyed here, and Bell Hollow will have you remembering everything you loved about 80's alterna-pop. There are plenty of memorable moments to speak of on Bell Hollow's album, but it’s really something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated." - Kevin McElvaney (Cheap Shot Philly, March 8, 2008) Link to full review

"This Brooklyn indie rock act plays tight, hauntingly beautiful rock. Guitarist Fasolino pulls out every indie rock trick in the book including that ever delightful e-bow to create textural auralscapes. Niles has smooth and steady vocal delivery, that kind of draws you in, all the while performing some quirky dance moves in an Ian Curtis of Joy Division fashion. If you're into old new wave or darkwave, especially a band like the Chameleons, this is a band for you." - Mike Ferrari (Aural Fix Communique, February 8, 2008) Link to full review

"Atmospheric, New Wavey pop-rock out of New York that's nostalgic for bands like The Chameleons and Echo & the Bunnymen." (Flagpole, February 6, 2008) Link to magazine

"Bell Hollow has one foot in the past and one foot in the present, and the result is a captivating album that is nostalgic, but isn't a cheap revival calculated to capitalize on the success of the new breed of 80s influenced alternative bands. The ten tracks are passionate and beautiful. Bell Hollow doesn’t sound like a typical Indie band – credit producer Hillary Johnson for giving the album a glowing, dynamic sound. Nick Niles' vocals are smooth, rich and mournful. The material is strong and powerfully rhythmic, with shimmering, layered guitars, subtle and haunting melodies and lyrics that convey real feeling without relying on trite cliches. "Foxgloves" was clearly a labor of love – the songs are exquisitely crafted and expertly performed, and they all have real feeling and drive...producing a record that appeals both to die-hard post-punk aficionados still pining for that rare Chameleons 45 that they lost in their parents basement 25 years ago, as well as a new generation of fans who are under the delusion that The Killers' kinetic new-wave sound is original. With equal doses of 1982 and 2008, mixed with smart songwriting and terrific musicianship, "Foxgloves" is essential listening." - Chris Gerard ("The DC Scene," nbc4.com, January 29, 2008) Link to full review

"Nach der ersten EP "Sons of the Burgess Shale" erscheint jetzt ihre Debuet CD namens "Foxgloves" und die ist randvoll mit schoenen postpunkigen, bittersuessen, melancholischen Songs mit viel Gefuehl fuer schoene Melodien. Dreampop der locker und selbstverstaendlich den Bogen aus den fruehen 80ern in die fruehen 00er schlaegt." - Benedikt Hofmann (The Last Pop Song, Germany, January 24, 2008) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow make the kind of dreamy pop typical of Echo and the Bunnymen and The Psychedelic Furs—Dark and deep, but still lighter than the kind of thing The Editors and The National are cranking out these days. A fairly minimalist approach that still seems to sound big, producing a sound that is more nostalgic than retro (by which I mean that it’s a tribute not a knock off)." - Ekko (Berkeley Place, December 19, 2007) Link to full review

"Neben die noetige Portion Pathos und Weltschmerz gesellen sich ausgefeilte Arrangements, welche Platz lassen fuer verhallte Gitarrenwaende, ueberraschende Breaks und die ausdrucksstarke Stimme von Saenger Nick Niles, welche sich nun perfekt in den Gesamtsound einfuegt. Absoluter Tip!!" - Franz Vojtech (Transmission Magazin, Germany, Issue 7, January 2008) Link to magazine

"Top 10 favorite albums from 2007:
3. Bell Hollow - Foxgloves
Best Smiths/Cure/Felt/jingle-jangle from Brooklyn, ever." - Dan Loughry (Frontiers, Vol. 26, Issue 17, December 2007) Link to article

"Best Songs of 2007:
3. Bell Hollow - "Eyes Like Planets"
Bell Hollow's "Under the Milky Way"—and I only make such a comparison to convey the stunning sound design and lachrymose lyrical choices that make this song so perfect. Listen and try not to fall in love." - Kristen Sollee ("Shadowtime," BigTakeover.com, December 30, 2007) Link to article

"Of all the bands currently claiming post-punk influences, Bell Hollow is the only one that is truly convincing. Perhaps it's because they sound like they just stepped off a tour with The Chameleons and The Comsat Angels, perhaps it's because of vocalist Nick Niles's Smithsian delivery, but Bell Hollow capture that sonic moment when glum, delicate, driving guitar pop ruled the cultural consciousness. Picking up where Sons of the Burgess Shale left off, Foxgloves features ten finely-wrought gems of dreaming indie pop; chiming guitar, tight percussion, and subtle synth background textures make this a must for fans of shoegaze, post-punk, and alt rock." - Jack Shear (LiarSociety, December 27, 2007) Link to full review

"Few have mastered their post-punk influences quite as well as New York's Bell Hollow. For starters, Nick Niles can really sing, Greg Fasolino knows how and when to make the best use of his chiming guitar melodies, whilst Christopher Bollman contributes suitably lurching bass and Todd Karasik's subtle use of percussion is reminiscent of the great early years of The Comsat Angels. In fact it is this band which Bell Hollow emulate most closely. Like them, they are masters of killer hooks and inject their songs with an admirable amount of restraint. Without doubt, Bell Hollow have delivered on their initial promise with a post-punk record which oozes class." - Jonathan Leonard (Leonard's Lair, UK, December 20, 2007) Link to full review

"Drawing from influential 1980's alternative pop rock bands like The Smiths and The Cure, Bell Hollow produces a sound filled with chorused guitars and smooth, Morrissey-esque vocals. The lead singer, Nick Niles, uses his voice with authority and emotion, and that drives the songs into a plateau of their own." - Laurent the Laurent (Pasta Primavera, December 19, 2007) Link to full review

""Seven Sisters" is a sedately glorious opener; Nick Niles' sad, addictive vocals pull you in like a Star Wars tractor beam, while Greg Fasolino hits all those righteous, sad guitar chords. "Our Water Burden" is a highlight, a real heart-crusher of a song. The whole album has a similar vibe; give it a few spins and you'll fall under its gentle spell. This is a band that will surely astound us, given the time and patience to endure." - Mike Pearlstein (The Big Takeover, Issue 61, December 2007) Link to magazine

"The emotional scope of the album is wonderfully, cinematically sombre and left me feeling I was being pulled into its own private world...there's no denying fantastically original tracks like "Jamais Vu" and "Copper Crayon." Anchored by the precision drumming and guiding bass of Todd Karasik and Chistopher Bollman, the songs build a swirling, layered sound upon the excellent, shimmering guitar work of Greg Fasolino. The nuanced guitar alternates between flirting around the rhythm section and moving into center stage, creating the album's excellent dynamic and providing the perfect backdrop for the ethereal voice of front-man Nick Niles. I'm pleased to find the voice guiding these tracks through their darkly emotional terrain to be one of the most genuinely beautiful, nuanced voices I've heard recently. Anyone taking the time to lose themselves in this beautiful record will find themselves enjoying it on the first listen, thinking about it after the second and adding it to their list of classics soon thereafter." - Will Joines (SonicFrontiers.net, December 9, 2007) Link to full review

"Assai grazioso il debutto degli americani Bell Hollow... Un bel sound che rende pienamente giustizia al verbo pop coniugato nelle sue forme piu nobili, come dimostrato abbondantemente da brani rispondenti ai titoli di "Seven sisters", l'opener di "Foxgloves", o la melanconicamente smithiana "Our water burden". E non a caso per la seconda volta ho riportato ben determinate coordinate stilistiche, in quanto alla wave piu meditabonda ed accuratamente rifinita vanno ascritte le dieci canzoni di questo bel disco. Nulla di trascendentale, e ovvio, ma le atmosfere dreamy di "Eyes like planets" emanano una classe che non si deve disconoscere." - Adriano Hadrianus Moschioni (Versacrum.com, Italy, December 2007) Link to full review

"Blindingly beautiful morose atmospheres... A shimmering shadow even darkens the sublimely infectious "Copper Crayon," a lust-themed song that channels both the spirits of Vince Ely-era Depeche Mode and Faith era Cure. The deft sequencing mirrors an eclipse, gradually moving the set into darkness, the brighter, lighter, opening numbers dissipating as the album progresses. The music is magnificent, the melodies powerful, while the moods are impossible to shake long after the final note is played. A mesmerizing album that will haunt listeners for years to come. ." - Jo-Ann Greene (All Music Guide, November 2007) Link to full review

""Foxgloves", formato da dieci tracce, e un concentrato di wave con spruzzi qua e la di post-punk e shoegaze adatto a tutti i nerovestiti che amano Cure e Chameleons senza disdegnare la buona vecchia musica pop anni ottanta." - Mr. Moonlight (Erbadellastrega, Italy, November 21, 2007) Link to full review

"Doomed romantics BELL HOLLOW certainly succeed if they wanted the most haunting tribute to '80s mope rock for their debut Foxgloves." - John Noyd (Maximum Ink, November 2007) Link to full review

"Ah, the 80s! Weren't we all teenagers in the 80s? Bell Hollow brings us back to the sound of some of the coolest bands from those years - I personally hear a bit of David Sylvian (in the voice), a tad of Depeche Mode (in the melodies) and a touch of... yes! Spandau Ballet! (in the big melodic openings)." - (The Deli Magazine, November 2007) Link to magazine

"Bell Hollow's sound calls to the glory days of shimmering shoegaze and guitar-pop, swirling guitars, locked-in rhythms, and ethereal vocals, and the band's influences (Kitchens of Distinction, The Sound, Sad Lovers and Giants) are built upon with solid songwriting, clever arrangements, and admirable musicianship." - Frank Deserto (Systems of Romance, November 7, 2007) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow are like a divine musical exam made fun, as they earn a doctorate each several times over on a trim album exuding melodic character. 'Seven Sisters' sighs out, with that gentle ache The Smiths paraded endlessly, which is obviously a firm influence, but really check their own confessed infusions and anything from Bunnymen or Teardrops, to The Sound or The Chameleons will do you just as well. (Perhaps a luscious, enigmatic version of Kitchens Of Distinction is most appropriate.) 'Storm's End' is the glistening standout for its upright, glossy turbulence which spreads out over the increased urgency of the singing and heat-seeking bass, the guitar a glorious hook on which for it all to hang and spin." - Mick Mercer ("Micks Daily Journal," MickMercer.com, UK, November 5, 2007) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow falls perfectly into the sonic timeline that comes just before Nirvana’s mainstream robbery. The late 80s influence was still lingering, guitarists spinning out their own variations of Robert Smith, Marty Willson-Piper or Johnny Marr. R.E.M. were critical darlings again and The Cure were pop-music sweethearts. Bell Hollow are about nostalgia and as such, Foxgloves works rather well in recreating the sound and mood of an era lost. A fine debut..." - Ryan Michael Painter (SlugMag.com, Issue 227, November 2007) Link to full review

"Foxgloves is mannered tunefulness with real personality. It's one of the best albums of its type... Experience pays off with Bell Hollow, as the band brings a childish genre into adulthood." - J.R. Taylor (New York Press, Vol. 20, Issue 39, September 26, 2007) Link to interview

"Their tunes are enigmatic and mysterious. Though American (based in Brooklyn, NY) their vocals sound soothingly British." - Paul Glanting (URB.com, September 2007) Link to full review

"Atmospheric post-punk free of teenage trappings and cumbersome gimmicks. 'Shukriya Moon' relies heavily on Greg Fasolino's aqueous guitar that reminds us of the resonating powers of subtlety, while vocalist Nick Niles describes an unexpected evening of white sheet defeats and natural elegance. Bell Hollow remember the past, focus on the most beautiful aspects, and allow this to incubate their own surprisingly intricate identity." - Seth Styles (Drop Dead Magazine, Issue 3, 2007) Link to magazine

Click to read Bell Hollow interview in Rock Sellout, June 7, 2007

"We were impressed by the band from Brooklyn, Bell Hollow. Their sound is atmospheric and jagged at the same time and harked back to the early eighties...it is like reliving the glory days where we all wore long overcoats with Joy Division buttons. The Bunnydrums were good, but Bell Hollow, in retrospect, stole the show." - James Rosenthal (InLiquid.com, May 16, 2007) Link to full review

"A real treasure for Chameleons fans." - J. Edward Keyes (17 dots/eMusic, March 21, 2007) Link to full review

"Post-punk meets shoegazer; this album would have fit on 4AD very nicely back in the day of Xymox and Wolfgang Press. This Brooklyn-based outfit touts in their biography that they make "atmospheric rock to burn love letters to" and I am prone to agree. My complaint is that Sons of the Burgess Shale is too short and I look forward to hearing more." - Mistress McCutchan (Morbid Outlook, December 2006) Link to full review

"Taking their cue from what you might call the Bunnymenesque end of things, Bell Hollow are all about atmosphere and understated drama. Their songs exist on the cusp of tension and resolution, on that fine line between the cerebral and the visceral. You can taste the influences here and there: the aforesaid Bunnymen are definitely represented in the recipe, plus a touch of the Comsat Angels, a morsel of Morrissey, perhaps. But the band have their own identity. You can tell where they're coming from, but the place where they're going is all their own." - Uncle Nemesis (Nemesis to Go, UK, Issue 2, December 2006) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow is serious music. Rich and layered, the sound is a blend of steady drumming, dramatic base lines, subtle and equally salient synthesizers. The finished product is, in effect, both emotionally probing and light as a feather on the ears. Brit pop influences offer hope to misbegotten Smiths and New Order devotees. Nevertheless, Bell Hollow can hardly be considered a revivalist flash in the pan. The music culminates in a moving crash of tempo and expressive sound all their own. Bell Hollow achieves a beautiful sadness that is sure to be lauded by melancholic rockers, young and old." - megD (The Deli Magazine, December 11, 2006) Link to full review

"While so many latter-day post-punk bands fall all over themselves trying to mimic the more danceable moments of a Gang of Four record, Bell Hollow chooses to embrace atmosphere and mood. The act's songs -- which sound like the Chameleons playing haunted tunes in an abandoned church -- are filled with otherworldly melodies and warmed by urgent rhythms." - Tom Murphy (Westword, December 7, 2006) Link to full review

"On Sons of the Burgess Shale, Bell Hollow capture the sonic spirit of 80s British post-punk and alt rock. Think Echo and the Bunnymen, think The Chameleons, think a dash of shoegaze and The Smiths, and yet Sons of the Burgess Shale has its own essential character. Think of this as a continuation of that musical vein, not a revival. This is atmospheric rock to burn love letters to." - Jack Shear (LiarSociety, December 6, 2006) Link to full review

"From the first dramatic sweep of the synth, 10 seconds into Sons of Burgess Shale's title track, one is catapulted across the Atlantic and back in time a quarter of a century. The funk fueled bass line, stuttering drum pattern, and shadowed atmosphere heighten the effect. "Bodies, Rest and Motion" brilliantly connects all the dots between the eclectic styles of the age, from the proto-gothrockers through the post-punkers with atmospheres (i.e. The Cure), and even future stadium rockers like U-2. The guitar laced "Shukriya Moon" tips a hat to Television, Japan, and even Ryuichi Sakamoto. Darkly shimmering atmospheres drench the entire set, but it's the strong rhythms and astute interplay between the synth and guitar that are the building block of Bell Hollow's haunting, evocative sound. The lyrics, suitably obscure, mean nothing and everything, leaving plenty of opportunity for listeners to wrestle and read what they will into them. A fabulous dissection of an entire age, and a wonderful reimagining of times long gone and yet to come." - Jo-Ann Greene (All Music Guide, November 2006) Link to full review

"The mood and guitar playing on 'Sons Of The Burgess Shale' will remind many of us of myriad guitar bands we adored as kids, but it's also the best kind of dark-hued, reflective, guitar-driven vocal music. The eponymous opener is a rock-solid grower, with Greg F.'s echoing guitar slowly mesmerizing, as the bass line holds it all together. Nick Niles' vocals will also bring a tinge of nostalgia to older ears, especially BT readers weaned on Comsats, The Sound and Chameleons. Lithe, gorgeous closer 'Shukriya Moon' cements the fact that Bell Hollow are no mere loyalists, but have their own tricks up their sleeves." - Mike Pearlstein (The Big Takeover, Issue 59, November 2006) Link to magazine

"The lead-off title track's yearning vocals and grinding guitars strive and achieve the deepest melancholia. 'Bodies, Rest And Motion' features a mesmeric hook that would do The Chameleons proud." - Jonathan Leonard (Leonard's Lair, UK, November 2006) Link to full review

Click to download podcast and see playlist of Bell Hollow interview and DJ session on East Village Radio, October 26, 2006

"Wavegitarren ohne Ende, hin und wieder mal eine Prise The Cure oder Tears for Fears. Also alles richtig schoen 80er, alles richtig cool." - Parklife (Coast Is Clear, Germany, October 8, 2006) Link to full review

"This is hands-down, the best thing I've heard in a long time. Think: Sad Lovers & Giants, Chameleons UK and The Queen Is Dead-era Smiths." - Young Poisoner (Young Poisoner's Handbook, October 7, 2006) Link to review

"I'm proud to say that I have found a band which has not only enraptured me with song but with words as well. Beautifully delayed guitars reminiscent of a certain Mr. Smith, shining drums really caught my ear, and a heavenly voice radiated from the stage. I shan't compare this band or put them in a genre as I think that would insult them, but I will say they brought back the nostalgia that was The Chameleons and The Smiths for me. I strongly suggest checking these guys out no matter what musical "scene" you're in as they will make you...sway." - Jo Ann Duggins (Anti-Mag, October 2, 2006) Link to interview

"The 4 tracks on the EP are definitely post-punk in character - - - - maybe a little Joy Division and The Smiths, but to my ears they are more on par with Comsat Angels stylistically. All 4 tracks are strong, though, which makes “Sons of the Burgess Shale” an easy choice for someone looking for music that harkens back to the 80’s, but does so in a way that doesn’t seem like a cheap attempt to hop onto the revivalist bandwagon." - (Bluespace Radio, October 2006) Link to site

"Within the first few chords played, they had my attention. This band is artistic, but in a different way. They create "mood music", which is both mysterious and alluring. Many tore up the dance floor." - Miss Dollie (Midnight Calling, 2006) Link to full review

"Gratisima sorpresa el disco de Bell Hollow...lo forman cuatro temas que bien podrian servir de avance para un posterior larga duracion que sin duda continuara la linea ese "revival" postpunk tan en auge y en boca de todos. Habia leido que este disco podria recordarnos a algunos de los trabajos de The Cure en la onda al Faith o Pornography y en parte tenian razon pero tambien al escucharlo me vienen a la mente algunos cortes de Joy Division, Chameleons y Cocteau Twins con un cierto aire britanico." - Korngan (BatCult, Spain, September 13, 2006) Link to full review

"I'm just going to be straightforward here and say that New York based Bell Hollow have recorded one of the most authentic post-punk releases in quite awhile. No mere revivalists. One might expect The Chameleons 2.0, and while there certainly is quite a bit of that influence floating through these tracks, comparisons to a few other not so obvious 80's Post-Punk artists such as Sad Lovers and Giants, Lowlife, and The Comsat Angels abound. Regardless these songs all have that ethereal dreamlike quality that made those artists so timeless..." - Joshua Pfeiffer (Post-Punk.com, September 3, 2006) Link to full review

"So good it has to be illegal... Had Bell Hollow existed in the dizzy days of 80's press hysteria, fanboy journalists would have gushed so much the band would have been driven back by the force of superlatives. This record sounds to me like what the Postcard bands never actually managed because they went all foppish and coy. It is indie music of ravishing beauty but with added power, and you all need a copy if you're not simply hidebound to one scene, because this will impress any of you with a beating brain..." - Mick Mercer ("Micks Daily Journal," MickMercer.com, UK, August 31, 2006) Link to full review

"The most vital show Ive seen recently...BELL HOLLOW conjured up the shadow-laced post-punk of the past with a forward-thinking freshness devoid of retro cliche...It's rare to find new music so heavy and yet so heavenly and light at the same time." - Kristen Sollee ("Shadowtime," BigTakeover.com, August 21, 2006) Link to full review

"I came across an unusually named tune, "Sons of the Burgess Shale," by an unusually named band, "Bell Hollow." I've read "Wonderful Life" by Stephen Jay Gould, and it of course caught my attention. Hell, we're all sons of the Burgess Shale. That's where the richness and diversity of ectomorphic shapes was truly evident. Some cataclysmic event wiped all of them out except the shape all multicelled organisms now respect. Okay, I wondered. What could this be about? I was rewarded by some fascinating music by this band based in Brooklyn, NY." - Charles-A. Rovira (The Multiple Sclerosis Blog, July 25, 2006) Link to blog

"Vielleicht ist das zunehmende Alter aller Beteiligten ein Hauptgrund dafuer, dass der Sound BELL HOLLOWS eher als eine Mixtur aus klassischem 4AD-Klangspektrum, New Wave and atmosphaerischem Shoegaze anmutet. Besonders "Our Water Burden" sticht aus der 4-Track-EP heraus, vereinigt dieser Song doch nicht nur die bereits aufgefuehrten Attribute, sondern erinnert zudem an klassische Wave-Bands wie THE CHAMELEONS, COMSAT ANGELS odor SAD LOVERS AND GIANTS." - Thomas Thyssen (Gothic Magazine, Germany, 2006) Link to magazine

"Bell Hollow was really freaking awesome. A lot of revival bands rely on a caricaturized impression of the decade they're apeing. That's why Post Punk revival bands can leave me frustrated. They're a cliff notes version of a life altering text. Bell Hollow is the next chapter in that text." - Basim Usmani (Jihadi Pastrami!, June 29, 2006) Link to full review

"There are all kinds of Smiths vibes here, from the trotting out of the minor keys, to the mournful-bordering-on-despondent vocal ululations. And yet? It's still manages to be pretty feel-good stuff." - Stephanie R. Myers (The Deli Magazine, June 2006) Link to magazine

"Pull up a chair, throw on a black light, sit back, and relax. With songs that bring to life the long-gone yet missed voices of The Smiths and even Tears for Fears, Bell Hollow's tracks deliver a pure, simple message with intertwining melodies and pitch-perfect delivery. A great mood-setter for those days we find ourselves wanting peace. Bell Hollow is the answer." - Erik Williams (Independent Clauses, May 2006) Link to full review

"Melodies reminiscent of Sad Lovers and Giants spring forth from this New York band, waves of sound flow over you as Greg and Chris weave their guitars into a soothing velvet hammer, as Nick's vocals soar into your very soul...I've heard plenty of good new music this year, but not a lot that can be described as beautiful and uplifting. Most modern bands are found wanting. This one finds me wanting more." - Lakini Malich (Drop Dead Magazine, Spring 2006) Link to magazine

"Reminiscent of Faith and Pornography era Cure with a little mix of a gloomier version of The Church...Bell Hollow will definitely grab your attention...worth a long listen..." - Nghia (Crackers United, March 29, 2006) Link to full review

"They've got one killer tune - 'Lowlights' which features some soft, yet powerful, vocals by Nick Niles that perfectly suit the song's mood...I think Bell Hollow could do some good in the world of music if given a proper recording." - David Mansdorf (Losing Today Magazine, March 2006) Link to full review

"In Bell Hollow's case, it isn't a bad thing to be better live than on record. I very much enjoyed their demo, but the band's moody, well-crafted songs that verge on the ethereal had the added benefit of a heavy, ballsy underpinning live... While there was nothing fancy or extravagant about Bell Hollow's performance, no bells and whistles or matching outfits, there wasn't really a need for it, as the band's music is more of the low key, hypnotic (yet powerful) transportive sort. Bell Hollow is definitely a band to watch for live..." - Kristen Sollee ("Shadowtime," BigTakeover.com, February 26, 2006) Link to full review

"It's the UK by way of Brooklyn in 2006... Vocally, Nick Niles tells stories with crooning falsettos... I'm definitely interested to see where this band goes next." -Rachael Darmanian (The Underrated Blog, February 21, 2006) Link to full review

"They sound just like The Smiths/Depeche Mode/New Order/The Cure." - Sian Owen (Whisperin & Hollerin, February 2006) Link to full review

"Brooklyn-based post-punk band playing mildly sad, but satisfying mood music. They sound like The Cure, if Robert Smith was on tranquilizers and could actually sing." (New York Press, January 4, 2006) Link to listing

"Sounds almost effortlessly like it's 1981 and The Comsat Angels are in town; the songs are brooding and burning with restrained passion. Key track 'Lowlights' features a rumbling bassline, glistening Chameleon-like guitar work, crisp percussion and Nick Niles' youthful vocals...a classy, vintage product from start to finish." - Jonathan Leonard (Leonard's Lair, UK, January 2006) Link to full review

"Armed with some shoegazing glazed guitars and a firm nod to Morrissey and The Smiths, Bell Hollow from Brooklyn bring us their debut EP...a nice change of pace in this recent surge of recalling the '80s New Wave scene." - J-Sin (Smother Magazine, December 2005) Link to full review

"Bell Hollow invokes all of the moody, ethereal elements of The Cure, Cocteau Twins and Radiohead. The dark, emotionally wrought songs on their demo might lull you into sweet submission for a moment, but the unexpected turns into dissonant territory will keep you on your toes. Vocalist Nick Niles haunting tenor recalls Thom Yorke, Dave Gahan and Morrissey and maintains the atmospherics while adding a touch of bitterness to the equation. You wanna listen? You know you do." - Kristen Sollee ("Shadowtime," BigTakeover.com, December 4, 2005) Link to full review

"Think the Smiths if they still would've been around but in a more contemporary jacket. Really worth checking out!" - CCCP (ResurrectZINE, Netherlands, November 2005) Link to full review

"Nick Niles has such a relaxed, confident vocal style, this is circumspect indie luxury, with tingling, shuddering guitar from Greg Fasolino...rich in promise and delivery. 'Lowlights' turns the lights down as Christopher Bollman's bass glows sleekly, and Hayden Millsteed vibrates slowly on drums as the song aches deliciously... There could easily be a classic album in the offing." - Mick Mercer ("Micks Daily Journal," MickMercer.com, UK, November 2, 2005) Link to full review