Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Bobby Lees
Bellevue

Ipecac (2022) Kevin Fitzpatrick

The Bobby Lees – Bellevue cover artwork
The Bobby Lees – Bellevue — Ipecac, 2022

Every once in a long while a band comes along that’s a true pleasure to discover. A sonic kick in the ass for these weary old bones. The Bobby Lees are just such a band.

The release of the Hollywood Junkyard e.p. earlier this year pricked up a lot of ears and served up a mean prelude to the new album Bellevue. Like a DNA splicing of Stiv Bators and Exene Cervenka, vocalist Sam Quartin growls, groans and grooves her way through Bellevue’s 13 savage numbers with nary a sleeper in the deck.

Those of you that remember the garage-rock resurgence of the late 90s with bands like Murder City Devils and Zen Guerrilla will find this album like a welcome visit from an old friend with songs like "In Low" and "Ma Likes To Drink" kicking those garage doors right off the tracks - summoning (we can only hope) a new rock resurgence to fill the deep, dark, soulless void of modern music.

The Bobby Lees – Bellevue cover artwork
The Bobby Lees – Bellevue — Ipecac, 2022

Related news

The Bobby Lees tour plans

Posted in Tours on January 30, 2023

A save the date from The Bobby Lees & Ipecac

Posted in Records on August 6, 2022

The Bobby Lees join Ipecac

Posted in Labels on March 26, 2022

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Gus Baldwin & The Sketch

The Sketch
Permanent Teeth (2025)

When The Sketch opens, I find myself quickly thinking of “Got The Time” by Joe Jackson. For the most part, that comparison fades by the time the power chords kick in at 10 seconds, but I also bring it up because (at least in my mind) that’s a classic track that doesn’t get enough fanfare. No artist wants constant “sounds … Read more

Chat Pile

Cool World
Flenser (2024)

The great American experiment has a wide range of experiences, but it tends to focus on the coasts. There are countless dystopian pieces of art, often culling from a Warriors-esque concept of urban grit. Chat Pile play dystopian, brutal noise-punk, but from a distinctly middle American point of view where instead of civilians shadowed under dense skylines, their anonymity instead … Read more

The Anomalys

Down The Hole
Slovenly (2024)

If I have to give the elevator pitch, I’ll call The Anomalys garage rock with an ear for surf and psyche rock -- turned up to 11 and blasted through blown out speakers in an old 1980s sedan. It’s high-energy, no-frills rock ‘n’ roll with attitude. While it’s short, loud and fast, there’s also quite a bit of nuance and … Read more