Have you ever felt the heaviness of our reality? In a world where opinions count more than facts, and politics get constantly instrumentalized, we all feel pretty small, confused, and manipulated. Not to mention the greed of billion dollars corporations. American singer and songwriter Josie Bello felt that too, so much so that she decided to express her anger at the status quo through a song, which we are lucky enough to get to hear. ‘They Lie’ is a soulful, honest anthem against the lies told us daily by media and government actors, with Bello singing “Manipulate the street, it will go our way”. Her tone is not particularly intense, nor she’s too furious in her statements; simply, she appears to be describing a situation she’s part of, with calm and intellectual honesty. Which works well with the ballad-like, slow-tempo instrumental the song is framed into.
Musically, ‘They Lie’ explores Folk and Americana territories, keeping a wholesome acoustic aesthetic and a classy style. Acoustic guitars take centre stage, together with a nostalgic accordion and light percussions. The track doesn’t need much to come alive, after all. Bello’s charming and evocative vocal tone does all the work, introducing us to a musical journey whose magical atmosphere makes us wish it’d never end. What’s to note here is the fact that the accordion is played by the Huntington resident herself, putting to good use a childhood full of music and inspiration.
Overall, a great record from Bello. We’ll definitely explore more in her catalogue. You can do so too on Spotify: