WORDS DYLAN EVANS
BEEN STELLAR
” SCREAM FROM NEW YORK, NY “
OUT NOW!
Purchase The Album On Vinyl, CD And Cassette From Dirty Hit HERE
There are very few examples of an album title that describes exactly what the content does but Been Stellar’s long-awaited first release does exactly what it says on the tin. Scream from New York, NY is powerful and creates a rumble that’s climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty and shouting across the Atlantic.
The American five piece who honed their craft during the Covid lockdowns have produced a collection of songs of pure quality and honest lyrics that allow their musicianship to shine. Nobody is fighting for attention on the album, it’s fantastically produced.
Each song hooks you in and the intriguing guitar intro of the opener “Start Again” is a sense of what’s to come. The song lyrically builds a picture of a wander down some of the less glamourous streets of Manhattan. It’s a powerful and vibrant opener.
A theme rumbling through each song is the punchy and dirty sound of the bass guitar, its pure magic and compliments perfectly the sublime drumming of Lalia Wayans. The songs offer everything, post-punk, goth rock, and indie rock.
The album’s title track, “Scream from New York, NY” combines its melodic guitar work and builds into a crescendo of a wall of noise. Despite hearing some familiar British influences, this is straight from New York City Baby.
Sweet is a radio friendly song with a catchy chorus that you’ll all be singing along to after a couple of plays. The next song, “Can’t Look Away” is a complete contrast, it starts dirty and gets more and more powerful along the way. It’s a wonderful song. The power of Sam Slocum’s vocals is impressive. He manages to produce a haunting tone to his voice while completely bossing the songs and all without shouting and wailing into the microphone.
“Takedown” is a beautiful song about nostalgia. Any song that can tell a story without being obvious about it is a clever piece of work. This is just that, a beautifully clever song.
The album’s final song, “I have the answer”, is immense, a banger, a belter. The intro is a full 1 minute 27 seconds before a single lyric is heard. The song finishes quite rightly with the bass guitar getting the last word.
Been Stellar will be a band that we’ve all heard of within the next 12 months and I’m sure a season of festival performances in the UK this summer will endear the band to a whole new audience. However, you get to know them, whatever you do, buy, download, or stream Scream from New York, NY. It’s the album you’ve been looking for this year.
8.5 / 10
SCREAM FROM NEW YORK, NY TRACKLIST:
1/ Start Again
2/ Passing Judgement
3/ Pumpkin
4/ Scream From New York, NY
5/ Sweet
6/ Can’t Look Away
7/ Simmer
8/ Takedown
9/ All In One
10/ I Have The Answer
BEEN STELLAR UK & EU DATES
JULY
Fri 26 SHEFFIELD Tramlines Festival
Sat 27 OXFORD Truck Festival
Sun 28 SUFFOLK Latitude Festival
NOVEMBER
Sun 03 AMSTERDAM, NL Bitterzoet
Mon 04 COLOGNE, DE Blue Shell
Wed 06 BERLIN, DE Cassiopeia
Thu 07 HAMBURG, DE Molotow Sky Bar
Sat 09 WARSAW, PL Klub Hybrydy
Sun 10 PRAGUE, CZ Café V Lese
Mon 11 MUNICH, DE Orange House
Wed 13 MILAN, IT Bellezza
Thu 14 ZURICH, CH Exil
Sat 16 BRUSSELS, BE Witloof Bar
Sun 17 PARIS, FR Point Ephemere
Tue 19 BRISTOL Fleece
Thu 21 MANCHESTER Academy 3
Fri 22 GLASGOW King Tuts
Sun 24 NEWCASTLE Cluny
Mon 25 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Tue 26 NOTTINGHAM Bodega
Thu 28 LONDON Scala
Sat 30 DUBLIN Workman’s Club
DECEMBER
Sun 01 GALWAY Roisin Dubh
Mon 02 BELFAST Ulster Sports Club
FOLLOW BEEN STELLAR
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
