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Amazon.co.uk Review
On Star, Belly's 1993 million-selling debut album, former Throwing Muse and Breeder Tanya Donelly created an album of haunting, edgy, melodic folk-alterno-pop that in many respects was the precursor of today's crop of female singer/songwriters. With songs like the slow-burning "Gepetto" and monster hit "Feed The Tree", Donelly proved she had an off-beat, almost perverse reading on the cradle, the grave and decay--the lyrical concerns which would later serve artists like Alanis Morrisette and Sarah McLachlan so well. Belly, however--boasting such impeccable alterno-rock credentials--had a hard, meaty rock sound to match their sweet, breathy vocals. And on tracks like "Angel" and the crystal-bright "Stay", the Rhode Island band proved they also had a knack for churning out incredible, catchy hook-lines. --Everett True
Review
Originally formed in 1991, Belly were essentially the vehicle for ex-Throwing Muses, one-time Breeder and something of an indie-boy pin-up, Tanya Donelly. Along with Fred Abong, and ex-Verbal Assault brothers Tom and Chris Gorman, Belly managed to go the places where Throwing Muses hadn't really gone before, and at the time, were almost as pop as it got for legendary old artfest 4AD. Their happy/sad sugar coated indie sat well with the lighter areas - such as Lemonheads, Pond, Buffalo Tom etc - of the American rock dominance of the early nineties: the sweeter end of the gritty old flannel of grunge.
Released in January 1993, Star leapt straight into the top three, mainly due to the quality of the tunes that preceded it. Tracks such as Gepetto and Feed The Tree were indie disco floorfillers, wielding melody with a bittersweet jangle, and bought Belly a passport to Top Of The Pops. The gentle echoes of psychedelia woozing through Angel, Dusted, Stay and the beautiful Full Moon Empty Heart were equally at the heart of the Belly experience, adding shards of refraction through the stream of consciousness lyrics.
Over in the states, it went gold and found itself nominated for a pair of Grammys. Unsurprising, as Donelly's ear for a more abstract, starstruck and enlightened subject matter made it radio friendlier than perhaps those of the Muses, towards a spookier Bangles. This was pretty much the template that the likes of Liz Phair or Alanis Morrisette picked up and started spouting her million-selling guff about irony over.
16 years on, Star has aged very well. If you want a more angelic Breeders or a sugar crafted REM, and to pinpoint perhaps a forgotten, yet significant contribution to female alternative rock legacy, than Donelly, Belly and Star are it. --Ian Wade
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Belly's full length debut, Star, is a classic record. Easily one of the best albums of 93. Star brings together an impressive array of influences such as the Cocteau Twins, Velvet Underground, the Beatles, Sonic Youth, and of course the Pixies. The sound is complex and varies song to song but over all it is dream-pop w/ a folk tinge. The songwriting is really what makes this record a timeless listen while the pacing on the album is strong and engaging. On songs such as Gepetto, White Belly and Every Word, Donelly proves that she can take on her influences and embellish them all the while turning them into pop gems. Her lyrics on the other hand are dark and disturbing. This contradiction makes Star that much more compelling a listen.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
After cutting her teeth with underground bands such as Throwing Muses and The Breeders, Tanya Donnelly decided to branch out and formed her own band which she christened Belly which is allegedly her favourite word. Starting off with the meloncollic Someone to Die for, the album bursts into life with indie rockers Angel and Dusted, both. After this initial burst, the record demonstrates a versititlity that Donnelly was unable to bring to the fore with her previous two bands. The lyrics themselves are full of imagry which along with memorable hooks and folk rock influences makes this one of the better debut albums released at this time. In fact, I would be hard pushed to name too many better debuts from any other period. The two main singles, Gepetto and feed the Tree are excellent slices of indie pop. These were boths hits and gave Belly an unexpected cross over success that Donnelly had been unable to find with either of her previous two bands. The album might appear to be a little dated, as the era of this sort of indie pop died out around the mid 1990's, but it is still worth a listen to. It must be said that Donnelly suffers from the fact that her lyrics are a little too precious, or that some of the ideas remain as not well though out as others, but this is a very good record. Highly recommended.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Belly were a revelation to me in 1993. Given the albumby my friends on my 18th birthday, I fell in love with Tanya Donelly's vocals, ranging from breathy sighs and whispers, to full on bouncy indie-pop (like Angel, Feed the Tree etc.)
The songs are full of slightly curious lyrics, or different rhythms from your nomral fair. Experiemental, but not so off the wall it's inaccessible. In fact, what you'd expect from a band signed to 4AD.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Truly a classic
Previously a side-kick in Throwing Muses and The Breeders, Tanya Donelly established her credentials as a singing-songwriting genius with this extraordinary album. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jason
Star
After a brief stint in The Breeders, Tanya went off to form her own band, expanding on the ethereal pop songs she made during her time in Throwing Muses. Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2006 by L. Omelasz
Jelly Belly
this is very of the time. if you're a fan i'd say buy this, but if you're not, get something by the breeders instead.
Published on 19 Aug 2003 by "gnang"
one of the best albums ever
indie magical mysterious rock N roll guitar pop perfection Tanya Donelly is a great singer and even better songwriter star is an all time classic .
Published on 17 April 2001
Fantastic
This album never gets boring. It has a good mix of different styles and the vocals are amazing.
Published on 6 July 2000 by Ms. Louise Griffiths
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