Rayen Belchere
“A Thousand Bars, Two Stars, and One Guitar”
By Lynda
(SugarBuzz Atlanta)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Strange although it may be, my return from a many month hiatus isn’t with some kickass rock & roll review. Instead, it’s a review of singer/songwriter Rayen Belchere.
This will be the longest review I ever write. The reasoning behind it is history. In the nine years I have known this guy, I have seen/heard him try a range of tactics and styles, all of which have been successful to different levels, but none of which are as befitting as the most recent years.
It means a lot to me that I used to get phone calls from him (at all hours), where the first thing out of his mouth was “Hey, crackhead. How are you? Wanna hear this new song I wrote?” He would then wow me with some gripping new heartwarmer or heartbreaker of a song that he would always end with “So, what’d you think?” I always felt that maybe he thought I always said what he wanted to hear, but in reality, every time that I said “I loved it” or “That was great”, I meant it…over and over. And then sometimes his over-the-phone acoustic guitar/sole voice creation would become an electrified expansion when recorded, and sometimes (albeit rarely) I would never hear the song again. He would often ask: is it a radio hit? Sometimes it was-actually usually it was- but at some point, I had to tell him: you can’t always write a radio hit ‘cos then it will be expected of you all of the time and that’s just too much…
Now, listening to his last two CDs, I can tell he has found his true self. I can tell he’s comfortable with his sound (and image) and more confident with his writing. Instead of being a superficial radio-hit rock star, his recordings are balanced and meaningful.
Rayen knows just when to pause, and just where to whisper. He knows when to let his voice and single acoustic guitar create the feeling of the song, and when to bring in more instruments, or when to electrify the sound, in order to make the song more forceful. He knows how to capture the ladies’ hearts (even when they’re taken) and still appeal to the male audience.
His stage presence and off-stage personality go hand-in-hand with his songwriting ability to help make Rayen Belchere one of the best, yet sadly unrecognized to the proper level, artists on the scene. It all comes naturally to him, and yet he still works his ass off at it. He could easily be placed in the Edwin McCain/ Dave Matthews/ Collective Soul category…if only someone with intelligence and power would pick up on him. But knowing Rayen, although he would love to be a celebrity, he’s also thankful for the fans and friends who make him the underground star that he is.
Here is the track by track rundown of his latest release “A Thousand Bars, Two Stars, and One Guitar”.
1. Hello: if I were to text a “review” of this CD intro to a friend, I would put “lmao” (that’s Laugh My Ass Off for those of you who are inept ). A little bit of humour never hurt anyone, and it’s a great insight into the personality of Rayen Belchere.
2. We Are the Stars: catchy, upbeat and inspirational… not in a God sense, but in a “find and go with your inner self and strength” kind of way. And making reference to the King (that’s Elvis for those of you who are just plain clueless) gives brownie points to an already 100% song
3. When: this is a delightful song that kinda gets thrown when he references Pamela and Tommy (that’s Lee for those of….oh, forget it), but it’s still charming. This song pulls at the heart’s strings, and makes you appreciate Rayen’s “good guy” persona. It also makes you a little empathetic towards him. I love the “in your back pocket you carry my halo” line. The lyrics of this one are what most girls-whether they admit to it or not- would love to hear their guy say to them.
4. Six Feet Under: the only song Rayen did not write on the CD. Producer Michael Raphael wrote this, but it can easily be “mistaken” as a Rayen Belchere original. It’s easy to see why these two work together.
5. Forever Night Stand: The first time I heard this song several years ago, it was played to me over the phone-just an acoustic guitar and Rayen singing. It made me cry then. It makes me cry now. It’s beautifully written, and this recorded version is a wonderfully crafted elaboration with weepy guitars, moody piano, and warming strings section. Again, the words are sweet and to the point, and “forever night stand” is just a beautiful and somewhat witty catch phrase.
6. Miss You Tonight: a terribly sad heartbroken song about a past relationship that was at one time perfect, but turned into one of the ones to learn from and survive after- “my wounds have healed, I’m alright, I just wanted to miss you tonight”. amazing what just one voice and one guitar can do to create such a sorrowful atmosphere.
7. 12 Rounds: I love this one cos it’s fun and “dirty”-not naughty, but southern-style get your drink on attitude. I daresay there’s quite a rock with a twang of country feel to this one. Undoubtedly Mr. Belchere not only can hold his liquor, but is up to the challenge of going “12 rounds with any bartender”…at any time.
8. Best Thing I Ever Had: ok. The title makes me think of Butch Walker’s “Best Thing You Never Had”, but that’s just how my brain works. Although…Rayen is a Walker fan. Nonetheless, the songs are completely different- in fact are exact opposites. “You pick me up even though I let you down”. This one is full of more lyrics that will move the ladies. Yet another atmospheric solo recording.
9. Wrong With You Tonight: the title explains the gist of this one. great harmony background fillers. another upbeat ditty that makes you wanna sway along.
10. Soldier: a sad song about losing someone to “the fight” but gaining an angel in return. you decide what fight he means…
11. Puzzle: a stirring one about trying to piece himself together and figure out what the girl needs in order for him to reach and keep her. “I tried to bury my pride but somehow I broke the shovel” is my favourite line from this one.
12. Sing You To Sleep: a “big” song with all sorts of musical intstrumentation that expands the space of sound, despite how it’s very simplistic and clear. yet more Rayen Belchere-esque sweetheart lyrics…(and let the silence be broken by the hidden track)
As a whole, “A Thousand Bars, Two Stars, and One Guitar” is Rayen Belchere’s best piece of recorded work to date.