“Your prayers will be heard, the moment you start believing”, Gaëtan Vandewoude from Leuven can be heard singing prophetically on the self-titled debut album of Isbells. And guess what? That’s exactly what happened to him. In his native Belgium he had been trying his luck in various bands for fifteen odd years. He was a drummer with bluesrock combo Ellroy and a guitarist with emocore outfit Soon. But with his thirtieth birthday steadily approaching, Vandewoude felt the urge to go for something a little closer to his heart. He impulsively quit his day job and retreated to the countryside. He installed a studio in a decrepit stable next near his house and spent most of his nights experimenting there, eventually recording his songs one by one.
The result of this labour of love is a series of wistful, introspective numbers inspired by his relatively isolated surroundings and the small events marking his daily life. Sometimes Vandewoude writes about relationship frictions or being confronted with his own shortcomings, and other times about his daydreams or the kind of world his four year old daughter will grow up in. His songs tend to be personal observations, yet they are never preachy. “We all go through unpleasant experiences in our lives”, the artist explains. “But there’s always hope. To me it’s important to keep following your dream and stay positive, no matter what.”
The folky little gems that made their way to Isbells’ album were all centered around Vandewoude’s quiet, understated voice and acoustic guitar. This was a big step, as he had never sung on a record before and was still discovering his vocal abilities. At a later stage he would draft in some like-minded souls to add delicate harmonies and some extra instrumental flourishes: a touch of brass to ‘As Long as it Takes’ and ‘My Apologies’, a little banjo and percussion to ‘Without a Doubt’, some electric guitar to ‘Maybe’ and haunting vibraphone to ‘I’m Coming Home’. Gaëtan Vandewoude’s ‘less is more’ ethic worked remarkably well, so his collection of sparsely arranged but carefully crafted songs manifested as an album released in late October 2009 under the Isbells moniker. The singer wanted the album sleeve to look like a vintage postcard so the striking image of an early twentieth century water-carrier in Constantinople fit perfectly with the timelessness of the music.
The cd, which came out in Benelux on a small indie label called Zealrecords, caught many by surprise. Right away it got rave reviews in all major publications in Belgium and the Netherlands. Within weeks Isbells stormed the local charts. The single ‘As Long as it Takes’ received airplay from every conceivable radio station and scratched the top-twenty, the album peaked at number 18. Six months later the cd remains a steady seller.
As media interest in Isbells grew, Gaëtan Vandewoude turned his solo project into a full-fledged band. Taking Naïma Joris, Bart Borremans and Gianni Marzo on board finally enabled him to perform his songs live. As a foursome Isbells got their feet wet in small clubs supporting the likes of Mark Eitzel, Local Natives and Emily Jane White. A last minute invitation to EuroSonic, a major showcase festival in the Dutch university town of Groningen in January 2010, led to a gig that went down exceptionally well with all who were lucky enough to be there. The De Spieghel upstairs venue was crammed, while a huge crowd waiting outside vainly tried to make their way in. That same month Isbells shared the bill with The Low Anthem at a sold out Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, rendering an audience of 2000 utterly speechless. Since then, the band has invaded nearly every stage worth mentioning in Belgium and Holland, a ‘tour de force’ which culminated in a spell-binding gig at Amsterdam’s Paradiso in May.
Having conquered the low countries overnight with their brooding and intimate music, Isbells started to explore other territories, supporting Megafaun in Berlin, Munich and Paris. Eventually a deal was inked with the Coda booking agency in London, which was seduced by Isbells’ purity and dedication. Coda will represent the band for the whole of Europe. The first responses in Britain to Isbells’ eponymous album have been very promising. London’s famous Rough Trade Shop gave it their blessing and made it their album of the week. Isbells were also lauded by Sheffield-based broadcaster Trevor Thomas and BBC Radio One DJ’s Rob Da Bank and Zane Lowe. Needless to say expectations are high for the quartet which successfully played The Great Escape in Brighton last May and will appear at Summer Sundae in Leicester next August.
So yes, the future looks bright for a band with the potential to floor both fans of Bon Iver and Simon & Garfunkel. Listening to Isbells’ debut means revelling in the presence of soft-spoken greatness. Just call it late night music for early risers. And play it again. And again. And again.
Quotes:
TREVOR THOMAS (Sheffield-based radio Broadcaster on Magic AM):
“Tell all your friends this Belgian band is unbelievable! So good they are hard to discribe. (...) Big things are coming to you guys. You deserve it!”
ZANE LOWE (radio Dj at BBC 1): “if You like Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, you will flip out over Isbells”.
ROB DA BANK (radio Dj at BBC 1): "Thanks also to nigel at rough trade for introducing me to the isbells record-bon ivers long lost european cousin...ace :)"
Billy
Isbells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He didn't even know
Until he was old enough
Billy was a beautiful
With a heart of gold
Ready to unfold
To leave his pain, his pain for good
And show what he is all about to the world
Billy was lonely
His mother didn't know
His father was not home at all
He had nobody to confide in
He kept his troubles all inside
But now he's ready, ready to
To leave, forgive, forget for good
And live his life like he never did before
So now he's ready, ready to
To leave his pain, his pain for good
And show what he's all about to the world
Oh Billy
Oh Billy
The lyrics of Isbells' "Billy" tell the story of a sad and lonesome boy named Billy who grew up without any support or guidance from his parents. The song describes how Billy's internal struggles and pain remained hidden and unrecognized for years, but he eventually matured and developed a strong sense of self. He decided to let go of his past hurts and live his life to the fullest. The chorus repeats the phrase "He's ready", indicating Billy's newfound confidence and determination to overcome his obstacles.
The song's verses provide a detailed insight into Billy's life and the challenges he faced. It is heartbreaking to learn that his mother didn't know about his problems and that his father was absent. The lyrics suggest that Billy kept his issues to himself, which led to his loneliness and isolation. However, the song implies that Billy's struggles made him a stronger and more empathetic person.
There is also a sense of hope and optimism in the lyrics as Billy finally decides to take control of his life and show the world his true potential. The repetition of his name in the song's final lines suggests that Billy's story is an important one that deserves to be heard.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy was a sad boy
Billy was a person who used to be sad as a child.
He didn't even know
He wasn't even aware of his sadness at that time.
Until he was old enough
It was only after he grew up that he understood his problems.
Billy was a beautiful
Billy was a person with a beautiful soul.
With a heart of gold
His soul was pure and virtuous.
Ready to unfold
Billy was about to discover a whole new aspect of himself.
And now he's ready, he's ready to
Presently, Billy is prepared to leave behind the pain he has been carrying for all these years.
To leave his pain, his pain for good
He wants to end his suffering and overcome his past traumas for good.
And show what he is all about to the world
Now that he is ready, he wants to reveal his true nature and share his essence with the world.
Billy was lonely
Billy was a lonesome being, who didn't have anyone to share his feelings with.
His mother didn't know
Billy's mother was unaware of his problems and sufferings.
His father was not home at all
His father was absent, which made Billy feel even more isolated.
He had nobody to confide in
Billy had no one whom he could share his troubles with.
He kept his troubles all inside
He bottled up his emotions and didn't express them to anyone.
And live his life like he never did before
By letting go of his pain and troubles, Billy wants to begin a new chapter in his life and live it to the fullest.
Oh Billy
This line seems to be a call to the artist, acknowledging his existence and struggle.
Oh Billy
It might also imply a sense of empathy and compassion towards Billy.
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.