Bella Vega
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
A Manchester outfit whose inception goes back to the late ‘70s, after a reunion gig in 2016 was successful, the wheels were in motion for The Trend continue on and release Bella Vega.
“Good Friend” starts the listen with crisp and nostalgic rock where the vocals show range as the rhythm section holds down the melodic opener, and “Twist Slowly (Theme)” follows with a short lived, vocally strong and piano friendly landscape.
Deeper into the listen, “Tune In” offers a power pop influence to the retro climate, while “Keep On Running” recruits vocal harmonies and a playful, almost quirky ‘80s atmosphere. “September Daze”, one of the record’s best, then illustrates restraint and plenty of dynamic musicianship between the members.
At the end, “Loving A Life” displays fluid and timeless rock’n’roll, and “Don’t Throw It Away” exits with 7 minutes of exploration that incorporates sounds from the ‘70s on and with plenty of guitar solos, too.
A triumphant return indeed, The Trend are still very much attached to the throwback sounds of their early days, but certainly aren’t afraid of experimenting with their formula across these adventurous and instantly memorable tunes.
Travels well with: The Bangs- Last Of The Big Shots; This Time- Two