_{By Trevor Myers}

Band names can oftentimes be a good indicator of what genre listeners are getting themselves into. For example, with a name like Noble Bodies, people can probably expect a slightly edgier sound.

Not many people would expect to hear lullaby-like melodies. 

Interestingly, Noble Bodies manages to sound edgy and rock-y while also briefly incorporating a softer sound in some of their tracks.

Noble Bodies has been around since 2004, though they were first making music under the name Another Statistic before disbanding for a bit in 2008. The trio (made up of Bryce Taylor, Elaine Bradley and Chris Bennett) got back together nearly a decade later in April 2017 as Noble Bodies.

Bennett is on the bass, while Taylor and Bradley both cover vocals, guitar and drums. Fellow Utah band Neon Trees also highlights the musical talents of Bradley, as she is the drummer for that group. 

Just seven months after they got back together, Noble Bodies released their seven-track EP It’s OK It’s Hell. Later, in July of 2019, the band released their album Two Voices. In between the two projects, the group also released a single in 2018. 

On Two Voices, the trio sounds like they found ways to work closer together as compared to their first release. The album still sounds similar to the group’s earlier work (with some potential influences from Paramore) but it also sounds a lot more like Noble Bodies.

Unlike their earlier project, where the majority of songs seemed to have a single, dedicated vocalist, it seems like the group leaned into the power of having two vocalists (perhaps explaining the title Two Voices), with several tracks showcasing the range of both Bradley and Taylor.

With most albums, it is only fair to listen all the way through before replaying anything. This did not happen with Two Voices by Noble Bodies. 

As soon as I heard “Release” for the first time, it kept me under its spell and I restarted it several times before I moved on to the next song. “Release” showcases their overall evolution as a group. There was no way of knowing which direction the song would go, and within the span of four minutes, there are numerous a cappella duets, top-tier fry screams and some stellar breakdowns. 

The first two minutes almost throw listeners off the scent, with the first indication that this isn’t a typical song being the two vocalists singing an innocent melody as they say, “I wish I were just a child again, playing in my room.”

At almost the exact halfway point of the song, the screaming starts, as the vocalists beg to be released before the instrumentals vanish once more, returning to the innocent melody and wish for childhood until — you guessed it — another switch-up.

Three minutes in, it sounds like a completely different song for a brief moment, with new melodies and new lyrics until it all transforms back into the screams for release.

For whatever future projects may be in the works from Noble Bodies, it would be stellar to hear more of the screaming. There are a few screams throughout Two Voices, and it almost feels like the group is teasing listeners. The screams are so good that they may leave some listeners wanting more.

Two Voices highlights both the classic and unique sounds of Noble Bodies. They were able to develop their sound, and it sounds like they were able to come back with a renewed sense of their identity as a group.

Make sure to follow Noble Bodies on Instagram. You can listen to “Release” below.