Black Bear

Pensive. A breath of fresh feels. My current favorite voice.

This is THE ALBUM that comes along and absolutely blows you away! In fact, that may be an understatement because Andrew Belle has created something here that is nothing short of the greatest album I have ever heard by artist/songwriter - period! I didn’t even know who he was when I first sampled the black bear track on this album but then I heard it and OMG. He has tracks on this album that are so deep and unique with an incredibly amazing vocals and music like nothing I can describe. Soul enlightening and life changing.

I am not giving this album 5 stars lightly. This very well may be my favorite album, top-to-bottom, that I've ever listened to. The ambiance and vibe of these tracks is relaxed and rhythmic, and a gorgeous blend of synths, vocal effects, layering, and production rocketed what once was an artist's very simple sound into the stratosphere of creativity. If you dive beneath the surface of the album's aesthetics, though, you can still find the hallmarks of what makes Andrew Belle a compelling artist. The lyrics are introspective and thoughtful, with themes of love, despair, and faith standing out consistently. The sound may have changed, but the spirit found in the lyrics and subject matter of the album are classic AB. While I enjoy every track on this record, my standout favorites are Dark Matter, Sister, Many Lives, and I Won't Fight It. The album is well paced, alternating between upbeat and downbeat tracks, with a predominantly instrumental track in the middle. Andrew also alternates on the themes of each song. For instance, Dark Matter and Black Bear are about Andrew's faith, but between those tracks is a intimate and interesting love song Pieces, and Sister, where the narrator is trying to reach out to a family member who is suffering. In my opinion, and regarding my personal taste in music, this album succeeds on every level. It's writing, instrumentation, production, and pacing are all top notch. It's ideas are thoughtful and they reflect Andrew's unique journey up to this point. It's a deeply personal album rife with beauty and sadness, where love is weaved throughout the text, and a weary and confused narrator wrestles with his struggles and ultimately finds hope. It's about as perfect an album as I could ever want. Thank you Andrew! Keep up the great work!

This is seriouly one of, if not my favorite album of all time. Start to finish, solid, amazing album.

I can't get over all these songs. Fall playlist on repeat.

This is what meaningful music sounds like. The lyrics are intelligent, the music is full of layers and the songs are worth getting to know.

Almost flawless album minus a track or two

Truly amazing album. Can't wait to see the live show here in Seattle!

Amazing voice & deep motion through the songs , specially number 1&2 I Wonder what's your new album...

One of my favorite artist of all time! Amazing sound, amazing lyrics.