"Fog" Is Bells Deep's Take On A Fragmented World

Jumping right into this record, this one’s perfect for those who criticize, those who mourn global systems, or for those who just enjoy indie music in general. “Fog” is a collection of niche-sounding songs that you could tie up with the world today, deeming it a poetic, real, and unfiltered album. If there’s one thing you need to equip before pressing play, it’s an open mind.

Bells Deep is Corey Bell’s brainchild, signed to Portal of Eels and based in Los Angeles, California. Expect timely and socially-conscious tunes from this guy, meshed with well-loved indie instrumentals ranging from rock, a little pop, and a bit more of this and that, which is always a hit for everyone listening.

Sound-wise, if I was personally asked what my favorite indie song is, it would definitely sound like “DEAD2ME”. It seems like a passive aggressive song, based on the rage-like feel of the chorus. The constant wishing for happiness to the point of exploding passes the vibe check, along with the tempo change and switch-up, and the ruthless line of “you were dead to me long ago”. This might actually be the song equivalent to the frustration and all the intense emotions younger generations feel about society, primarily in politics.

Now, “Start With Sorry” is just peak indie rock/pop. The drums in this are really intricate, noticeable, and matches the frantic, fast-paced nature of the track. If someone were to ask, “when did I become so jaded?” Probably before you got the chance to listen to this record. But seriously though, at first glance, this one seemingly sings about change, maybe the feeling of misplaced, and possibly relationships going south. But if you take the previously mentioned line, it may refer to ignorance, or lack of awareness to issues we need to be addressing.

The opening energy of “Mr. Crackers” is curiosity-piquing. It, overall, sounds like a fun track, slightly reminiscent of nursery rhymes and songs by The Brobecks. There are some lines that mention nihilistic optimists, poets, and missionaries, as well as something along the lines of “if you were to disappear, no one would miss you here”, which may refer to those who reframe trauma and injustice in today’s society.

“Fog”, the title track, is imagery-driven, tamed down, and acoustic (at least, in the beginning) song with a background that sounds like literal fog that’s been tampered with. It’s safe to say that this track reminisces a lot; with the delivery and the words, it feels as though you’re walking alongside a deserted boulevard, thinking of all the days and moments you miss. The beautifully broken solo helps with that thought as well.

There’s a bit of a jazz vibe going on with “Sugar Cube”, and it talks about words dissolving their meanings, time slowing down, and ghosts reappearing. In a general context, this could mean anything, but when you render it down to something societal and political, one can deduce them into something about racism, even capitalism. Heck, the title itself is something to look into, being a thing that’s favored by most people, but when dissolved, it’s as if it wasn’t there to begin with, kind of like glorification or giving the light of day to those oppressed, then going back to discriminating them right after.

Analysis aside, “Fog” is an album worth anticipating and appreciating, simply because of its honesty and how it sticks true to a genre that Bells Deep clearly excels in as an artist. Give it a go, we’re sure you’d find any of these songs useful to bring up in your social science class.