Nora Kelly Band - “Roswell”

Photo by gabie.che.studio

Montreal-based Nora Kelly Band make their way onto our blog with “Roswell.” And while it may not confirm the existence of aliens, it does more than enough to put this act on our radar.

If you believe the rumors, the band traveled to Area 51 in order to write this number, likely listening to it all the way home as it makes for one hell of a roadtripping soundtrack. The ghostly electric guitar at the song’s onslaught will cause the listener to visualize the flickering lights in the night sky, with the silent plea of being whisked away in order to escape all earthly troubles. Once the violin appears, we cannot help but marvel at its marriage to the arrangement. As the kids say, it’s a vibe.

Kelly’s vocal enters, with just the right amount of twang and grit, keeping us intrigued as she lets the story unfold. At her most vulnerable, her voice is slightly reminiscent of Hope Sandoval, but she is not as shy when it comes to offering the listener a glance at the power of her upper register and falsetto. Another guitar joins before the rhythm section appears, and the song takes its true form, slowly and confidently pushing onward as it climbs into its crescendo.

At over five minutes in runtime, we knew we could count on some vocal harmonies at some point, and once they appear, listeners will be astounded by how much of the sonic landscape this song consumes. And by the time “Roswell” enters its conclusion, it is not at all difficult to imagine it being performed on stage, which is where we hope to catch it before our alien overlords return.

-TM