Nothing makes me happier than unearthing an example of 90s-style midwest emo, which means this is a very happy post indeed. The emo dead zone gives up yet another one of its buried gems in the form of Bellador, a band from Jackson, MS, active in the early aughts. They were another midwest emo band that missed the second wave by a hair, and they were truly excellent.
If D.S. Sutton were carrying the torch for Sunny Day Real Estate, then Bellador were hauling a whole damn bonfire for Mineral—specifically, EndSerenading. Track four, "An Instrumental," sounds like it could easily be slotted somewhere into Mineral's second LP, complete with vocals straining for that same catharsis that Chris Simpson sought. Bellador's sound is a bit more polished than Mineral's, which means they sometimes sound like early-The Gloria Record, a comparison furthered by the occasional deployment of keys.
Prior to forming Bellador, the band was an emo pop outfit called Ransom Tree. Bellador's only release is 2003's The Day's Intent, though they have since put a couple unreleased songs up on streaming platforms.
thanks!
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