"Que Bela," Santa Fe Reporter 20 May 2008

“Nowadays, indie bands that encompass a vast spectrum of influences, specifically from eastern Europe, can be predictable. But before we flip our hipster selves onto greener pastures and begin using Beirut albums as coasters, there’s one band that sings about odd things in quirky voices, and it is doing everything right to keep music fresh and interesting. Denver’s Bela Karoli, a trio that plays an upright bass, a violin and an accordion, is standing at the freak folk precipice with decidedly spare orchestration and aloof vocals, and yet produces disarmingly beautiful and complex songs. The band’s recent release, Furnished Rooms, is a 12-song collection that straddles eastern European folk music and a modern backbeat. It’s a like a twisted version of Siouxsie and the Banshees on downers, without trying too hard.” (GG)