Friend/Bell – Lori (2026)
Some things should be left in memories, not to return. Then some things should return and be enjoyed in the present. ‘Lori’ is one of them. Penned and first recorded in the early 1980s, ‘Lori’ was originally a demo for the band Starliner, capturing the ”…energy and optimism of a young band chasing big dreams…” Skip ahead several decades – 43 years to be exact – and ‘Lori’ was rediscovered by Jeffrey Friend and Don Bell after a reunion performance. In many cases, musicians find old tracks and choose to re-record the song with a little reimagining, not ‘Lori’. As such, ‘Lori’ drags us back to the days of hairspray, shoulder pads, and the Cabbage Patch Kids – in other words, we’re headed to the 80s.
Produced by Jeffrey Friend, ‘Lori’ grabs you by the arm and swirls you about in a dark sonic whirlwind. Don Bell’s drums crash in the background, while still holding a person’s attention with confidence. Friend’s guitar dances across the track, licking the melody with a sheen of rock sophistication. Yet, amidst the twirling arrangement, ‘Lori’ has one stabilising factor: the keyboard. Steady and firm, the keyboard carries across the track with an anchoring effect, holding you in place. For me, however, it is the guitar that takes the lead with a great shout-out to the slick classic rock solo at the end.
The united instrumentation is inspiring, but it is the vocals that bring the full-bodied attitude. Rich, sweet and velvety, Friend’s dulcet tones offer maturity, clarity, but with a tint of vulnerability captured in its gentle flow. Melodically, ‘Lori’ is an ideal example of vintage rock given a contemporary facelift. A song that, at its core, “bridges two eras: the youthful enthusiasm of 1982 and the perspective gained over a lifetime of music-making”.
Stepping out of the past into the future, ‘Lori’ is fun and easy to enjoy. I’m unsure if Jeffrey Friend and Don Bell will be releasing more music, but I really hope they do.
Find out more about Friend/Bell on their Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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