22. February 2025
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Media Review

Bell Book & Candle – L.O.V.E.

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Bell Book & Candle - L.O.V.E.

Bell Book & Candle - L.O.V.E.
3.9

Rating

 3.9/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Nice spread of nostalgic and modern songs
  • Some nice, happy vibes

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Some weaker songs

I loved Bell Book & Candle in the late 1990’s. The German band from Berlin especially stroke with their debut single Rescue Me released 1998, which was a platinum record in Germany and Austria. They celebrate their 30th band anniversary with the album L.O.V.E. released on 27th September 2024. I just had to have a listen to this one. Here is my review.

 

Bell Book & Candle – About The Artists

Bell Book & Candle have been founded in 1994 in Berlin. The band name refers to a typical excommunication method.  Two of the founding members, drummer and guitarist Andy Birr and Hendrik Röder (bass), already played together in the band Rosalili in G.D.R. times. They are both sons of member of the famous band Puhdys. The third band member is singer Jana Groß. For live appearances, the band adds other musicians to their lineup. The debut single Rescue Me boosted their career, the corresponding album Read My Sign was Top 10 in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The band released five additional albums so far. The 2018 Wie wir sind is thereby featuring German language songs. In their career, the band has played some 1,800 gigs already.

 

Bell Book & Candle – L.O.V.E. – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 35 minutes. There is also a double CD album, with the second disc containing a Best of their music so far.

1. Destiny (Is Calling Me)

Jana Groß still got the magic – that was about the feeling I had when I listener to the opener of L.O.V.E. for the first time. The front lady of Bell Book & Candle makes the band sound like some 25 years ago, when her home country fell in love with them. Destiny (Is Calling Me) simply sounds like Bell Book & Candle – even though it comes with a bit more modern touch. The higher vocals thereby remind me of the Read My Sign single.

2. Fight Or Flight

It obviously took the German band quite a while to set up the whole album. The second song, Fight Or Flight, has been released in January 2023 already. The speedy and rhythmic pop–rock track majorly lives from the contrast of the rather low note verses and the high vocals (and thus: very present) chorus. A nice song with a catching plot.

3. Light Up My Heart

Light Up My Heart is working with a little more bass groove. The joyful style of the song spreads some happy vibes. There are a lot of factors which somehow could lead to a catching listen. Unfortunately, it does not fully work for me.

4. Gold

The style of the single release Gold is similar to its predecessor. The Berlin trio is spreading happy vibes based on a solid groove. However, this song catches me more more. The plot is very straight, but still has sufficient variation which avoid that the listen becomes boring.

5. Rise Up!

The melodic and very atmospheric Rise Up! comes with a very harmonic melody. The song has a bit of an 1990’s pop song and thus reminds me of Destiny (Is Calling Me) – even though this one  The chorus is the key element of the fifth track of L.O.V.E. – it simply stays in your head.

6. Love A Gogo

Love A Gogo comes with cool, a bit of cheeky sound. This self-confident style suits very well to the context of the album, Jana Groß feels very strong in this song. I really like this one – also due to the stomping beat bridge.

7. Speechless

Speechless spreads some hip hop vibes from the beginning. The vocals are close to spoken words and come in a very groovy style. This turns Speechless into a comparably modern song. I am sure people will enjoy to move to the groove of this one on the upcoming shows (see below).

8. Supersonic Speed

L.O.V.E. is continuing with two single releases. The first one, Supersonic Speed, comes with a wider vocal range than the song before, but still has this modern touch of it. This leads to a nice structure within the album. The song has a nice plot as well and thus feels like a really valuable part of the record.

9. It’s Good, Feels Good

A nice rhythm and some scattered intense presence of the guitar, accompanied by the keys – It’s Good, Feels Good is a song which you get into very quickly. The fast pace from the drums and the synth parts additionally push into direction of what the song finally is: a really nice pop track.

10. Time Out

Time Out is a very modern pop track. The song is the shortest of the whole album (2:14 minute). Nonetheless, Bell Book & Candle did a really nice write here and the tenth track leaves a mark. Nice one.

11. The L.O.V.E.

The title track (or the one close to that) heads into the dance pop direction. The beat is very present, the melody and the chorus are so straight that you can feel like singing along after the first chorus latest. Love is within me – this is also true while I am listening to The L.O.V.E..

12. Only Love (All Of Us Or None)

The album closes with this ballad. The slower genre works well, too, and feels like the perfect farewell from this anniversary release. The song even has a small spoken words part in German.

 

Bell Book & Candle – L.O.V.E. – Spotify

Here is L.O.V.E. on Spotify:

 

Bell Book & Candle – L.O.V.E. – My View

I loved this trio in the past and might not be the most neutral person to judge about Bell Book & Candle. L.O.V.E. definitely comes with some really interesting and catching parts, even though you also cannot deny some weaker spots. However, I really cannot deny that I enjoy the mixture of nostalgic memories and rather modern pop tracks.

Favorite Song: Love A Gogo

 

Bell Book & Candle – Tour Dates

Bell Book & Candle are touring Germany in 2024 and 2025. The shows are concentrated in the East part of Germany:

Fr 18.10.2024 Oelsnitz (Germany) – Katharinenkriche
Sa 19.10.2024 Staßfurt – Salzlandtheater
Sa 26.10.2024 Dresden – Staatsschauspiel
Sa 02.11.2024 Pirna – Kleinkunstbühne
Fr 15.11.2024 Altenburg – Brüderkirche
Sa 16.11.2024 Golzow – Zickengang
Th 21.11.2024 Kremmen – Tiefste Provinz
Fr 22.11.2024 Kremmen – Tiefste Provinz
Sa 23.11.2024 Kremmen – Tiefste Provinz
Sa 30.11.2024 Bad Wimpfen – Kursaal am See
So 08.12.2024 Eberswalde – Kleinschmidt Bar und Cafe
Mo 09.12.2024 Eberswalde – Kleinschmidt Bar und Cafe
Fr 17.01.2025 Dessau-Roßlau – Marienkirche
Sa 25.01.2025 Lichtentanne – St. Barbara
Fr 07.03.2025 Schwarzenberg – Hotel Ratskeller
Fr 14.03.2025 Kelkheim – Jazzclub
Sa 15.03.2025 Marburg – Waggonhalle
Fr 21.03.2025 Erfurt – Kabarett Erfurter Puffbohne
Sa 12.04.2025 Magdeburg – Theater Grüne Zitadelle
Sa 17.05.2025 Dresden – Dresdner Unterwelten
Sa 14.06.2025 Hoyerswerda – Speicher No. 1

 

Music in Berlin

Here are all my Music & Media postings related to Berlin:

 

2024 Museum Reviews

Here are all my Museum & Exhibition reviews I published in 2024:

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