Seems that ~everybody~ can listen to this album now, right here: http://beak.bandcamp.com/releases
Oddly enough the closest analog I have for this album is (my favourite band) Electrelane?
― manditory fun. day (Ówen P.), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:43 (10 months ago) Permalink
how is the new one? i don't wanna be a debbie downer but i thought there was something kinda ... contentedly retro about them at first. it would be cool if they were branching out from motorik-revival a lil. electrelane have all of those cool other directions, beak seemed sorta one note to me.
― blossom smulch (schlump), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:46 (10 months ago) Permalink
This is my favourite G Barrow-related release to date. Don't skip ahead but there's a guitar solo halfway through the record that destroys, ohhhh mannnn this is the BEST ALBUM
― manditory fun. day (Ówen P.), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:47 (10 months ago) Permalink
And yeah I get what you're saying; listen and get back to me, and don't jump around this album is a slow build
― manditory fun. day (Ówen P.), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:49 (10 months ago) Permalink
Wouldn't have made that connection at all myself... Beak> seems a bit more Tortoise/math influenced than Electrelane? But I've not listened to this one yet, will stick it on. Adored the last one.
― emil.y, Friday, 29 June 2012 14:50 (10 months ago) Permalink
SPOILER: guitar solowill listen & check back. nyow-nyow-nyow-nyow guitar thrash was always my least favourite electrelane mode but i'm interested now.
― blossom smulch (schlump), Friday, 29 June 2012 14:53 (10 months ago) Permalink
Okay, I'm loving this. Quite different from the first, I think? 'Spinning Top' has a real nice Silver Apples thing going on... though maybe *too* obvious? But then, how many people pay tribute to the Silver Apples? Not that many.
― emil.y, Friday, 29 June 2012 15:03 (10 months ago) Permalink
'Wulfstan II' is the #1 keeper on this imho
― mr-c-on-deadmau5-complete-wanker (DJ Mencap), Friday, 29 June 2012 15:07 (10 months ago) Permalink
xp ha ha no the guitar solo is like all-time, like Mark Shippy walked in and played it into a DI. It's on "Wulfstan II" for cheaters. The only two middling tracks on this record are considerately placed at the end.
― manditory fun. day (Ówen P.), Friday, 29 June 2012 15:08 (10 months ago) Permalink
driest drums in the west
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Friday, 29 June 2012 15:25 (10 months ago) Permalink
yeah, i'm really digging this. agree w/ schlump about the last one being a little too under the shadow of its influences, but this steps out enough for me to deal with the occasional straight up Playin' the Oldies moments.
― circa1916, Friday, 29 June 2012 17:12 (10 months ago) Permalink
Glad to hear this is good, I'm anxious to hear it as I loved the first one. If it wasn't pissing down rain outside right now, I'd walk up to my local and see if they got it in yet.
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 29 June 2012 17:22 (10 months ago) Permalink
haha just got to the guitar solo
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Friday, 29 June 2012 18:17 (10 months ago) Permalink
yeah this is good stuff. can't decide if the vocals are a little too superfluous or if they're the perfect thing.
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Friday, 29 June 2012 18:31 (10 months ago) Permalink
this band suxxx yall got chumped
― Lamp, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:26 (10 months ago) Permalink
Oh dang. There I was, thinking I was very much enjoying this, when yeah verily, the scales were removed from my eyes. Praise be to Lamp!
― emil.y, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:28 (10 months ago) Permalink
your sarcasm is very unbecoming
― Lamp, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:29 (10 months ago) Permalink
Your Whiney G. Weingarten Jr. schtick is very unbecoming.
― emil.y, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:35 (10 months ago) Permalink
wait is this a new one? i liked the first one but never ever ever listen to it
― the late great, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:37 (10 months ago) Permalink
really? i think it makes mr seem older and more distinguished (xp)
― Lamp, Friday, 29 June 2012 19:38 (10 months ago) Permalink
i know i made a Beak> thread for the debut album but it's unsearchable.
glad they are back because i really enjoyed the last album.
― Bee OK, Saturday, 30 June 2012 01:14 (10 months ago) Permalink
Beeok>
― emil.y, Saturday, 30 June 2012 01:20 (10 months ago) Permalink
i'm unclear how portishead has time and energy for two beak> albums and a hip hop album w/ 41 guests on it
― the late great, Saturday, 30 June 2012 01:24 (10 months ago) Permalink
Easy when you take 8 years between albums.
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Saturday, 30 June 2012 02:53 (10 months ago) Permalink
Wow. This is fantastic stuff. Escaping the weight of influence by being better than most of the time/place that's influencing them. Not a total surprise (after the total surprise of Porishead's '3'), but welcome.
Been listening to immense amounts of Can lately (more than usual) and this is not suffering by the comparison at all.
― Soundslike, Saturday, 30 June 2012 05:01 (10 months ago) Permalink
the original "wulfstan" is among my favorites for this decade so far... this new version might be even better!
― billstevejim, Sunday, 1 July 2012 18:07 (10 months ago) Permalink
so... this is pretty fucking cool, one song in
― Victory Chainsaw! (DJP), Monday, 2 July 2012 16:07 (10 months ago) Permalink
i can't get enough of this record... the songs are so dark and strange yet all of them seem to be sticking around in my head. good drum sound too. prolly the most solid record i've heard this year so far.
― billstevejim, Wednesday, 29 August 2012 06:25 (8 months ago) Permalink
more people should be going nuts over this IMO
― billstevejim, Wednesday, 29 August 2012 06:26 (8 months ago) Permalink
It sounds exactly like a Can record but I mean I really love Can so.
― the mandy moorhols (Stevie D(eux)), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 07:45 (8 months ago) Permalink
it's a good but uneven record - the kosmiche bits are really good, the shitty goth bits aren't. it's def more good than bad, though.
― cock and ball torch song (haitch), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 08:50 (8 months ago) Permalink
not hearing any goths bits - loving this although might be a tad repetitive
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 09:02 (8 months ago) Permalink
Keep meaning to pick this up after comign across Youtubes of a couple of tracks live when i was doing my big motorik beat playlist.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 09:05 (8 months ago) Permalink
regarding the can comparison, yeah it's the same type of music (kraut/experimental/freakout/improv) but i hear lots of freshness.. i dont think i've heard any can-influenced stuff performed or arranged or recorded quite as well probably since Liars "they were wrong so we drowned" .. Cave from Chicago is cool also, but I think I like this Beak> album more than anything from Liars or Cave
regarding "a tad repetitive," i hear "meditative" more than repetitive, and i dont think it hurts the album at all.. and plus "Wulfstan 2" is the longest song on this and it totally rules
― billstevejim, Monday, 3 September 2012 05:25 (8 months ago) Permalink
To my ears this has way more in common with Neu! + VU than Can. Doesn't have the wild modulations, cosmic deepness, virtuosity, experimentation, which is totally a good thing IMO I love how grey and static it is, can see this getting a lot more play this winter.
― Crackle Box, Monday, 3 September 2012 10:02 (8 months ago) Permalink
youre right, it does sound closer to neu! haha
― billstevejim, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:46 (8 months ago) Permalink
I listen very closely to this album, looking for evidence that it wasn't recorded entirely live off the floor. There's maybe one or two giveaways?
― nedless summer (Ówen P.), Monday, 3 September 2012 16:49 (8 months ago) Permalink
It certainly feels that way. I love the production on this record, it sounds like records sound before they go off to get mixed and mastered
― Crackle Box, Monday, 3 September 2012 18:01 (8 months ago) Permalink
This Beak album is great. Still getting into it after my third or so listen. But man, has anyone heard the Drokk record with Ben Salisbury? It really is fucking awesome, Carpenter to the core, almost to the point of cheating, but it is a majestic sound.
Anyone heard the hip-hop Quakers thing yet? Barrow seems to be on a path of greatness atm.
― kraudive, Sunday, 9 September 2012 20:07 (8 months ago) Permalink
"Wulfstan II" just pwned me
― cake-like Lady Gaga (DJP), Friday, 21 September 2012 15:45 (8 months ago) Permalink
man it is impossible to search for this thread title
― Technology of the Big Muff (DJP), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 19:31 (7 months ago) Permalink
Def.. Only album released this year I've felt compelled to listen to like five times over the first day I heard it.
― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 22:11 (7 months ago) Permalink
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=beak%3E+site%3Ailxor.com
― fistula-la-la (sic), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 22:18 (7 months ago) Permalink
― cake-like Lady Gaga (DJP), Friday, 21 September 2012 16:45 (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this x 1000
― kfb, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:21 (7 months ago) Permalink
The only two middling tracks on this record are considerately placed at the end.
not sure about this comment tbh. i really like 'deserters'. 'kidney' takes a while to get there but the little build round the 3.20 mark is nice.
― kfb, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:31 (7 months ago) Permalink
tried but i'm not really feeling this tbh
― flopson, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:35 (7 months ago) Permalink
Yeah they're not bad or even really middling, this is just a great album. Favourite first track in a long while
― flamboyant goon tie included, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:42 (7 months ago) Permalink
yeah 'the gaul' rules. love the whole album (and i only listened to the first one like twice)
― these wilburys taste like wilburys (donna rouge), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:46 (7 months ago) Permalink
I like this album so far, but it leans awfully heavily on easily recognizable lifts from specific krautrock bands.
― has important things to say about gangnam style (Hurting 2), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 18:28 (7 months ago) Permalink
also it annoys me as a drummer that the drummer tries so hard to sound like Jaki Liebezeit and is way less good than Jaki Liebezeit
― has important things to say about gangnam style (Hurting 2), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 18:30 (7 months ago) Permalink
I prefer to this of this as not pseudo-krautrock, but more a Messthetics-era novices raised on lots of budget German imports trying to cut a demo for Factory.
― bendy, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 23:20 (7 months ago) Permalink
I prefer this as an album full of awesome, super-listenable music
― The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 23:23 (7 months ago) Permalink
xp I love the drums on this... the way they're recorded, the sound of the drums themselves, and the restrained style of playing.
― billstevejim, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 23:48 (7 months ago) Permalink
― The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Wednesday, October 10, 2012 7:23 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
you and your affability and liking of stuff
― has important things to say about gangnam style (Hurting 2), Thursday, 11 October 2012 01:25 (7 months ago) Permalink
billstevejim OTM. guy is not a Jaki pretender he is more interested in restraint and perfect mic placement
― flamboyant goon tie included, Thursday, 11 October 2012 01:56 (7 months ago) Permalink
I think he sounds kinda weak and shakey though. But w/e.
― has important things to say about gangnam style (Hurting 2), Thursday, 11 October 2012 02:16 (7 months ago) Permalink
meh whatever I'm grumpy it's a p good record
― has important things to say about gangnam style (Hurting 2), Thursday, 11 October 2012 02:21 (7 months ago) Permalink
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TnBYvgezV5E/TMwvHeFCyBI/AAAAAAAABE0/k3sZNz6XXHg/s1600/Silver+Apples+(Danny+Taylor).jpg(Barrow also loves him some Silver Apples)
― Yellow Tonka//Sony Titanium - YT//ST (Craig D.), Thursday, 11 October 2012 03:08 (7 months ago) Permalink
ha
― Yellow Tonka//Sony Titanium - YT//ST (Craig D.), Thursday, 11 October 2012 03:10 (7 months ago) Permalink
'wulfstan ii' just wins this record so much.
― kfb, Thursday, 11 October 2012 08:02 (7 months ago) Permalink
and i don't care one way or another how much is 'lifted' or not, it's a fucking great record
― kfb, Thursday, 11 October 2012 08:03 (7 months ago) Permalink
Drummer in no way is trying to ape Jacki.
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 11 October 2012 08:19 (7 months ago) Permalink
I like "Eggdog." Keyboards sound a bit like Robert Wyatt. That's as far as I'm going to go with comparisons, though, 'cos then we get into "Limited Edition ORIGINAL TAGO MAGO COVER of 25" land of sad.
― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Thursday, 11 October 2012 09:08 (7 months ago) Permalink
any drums like this are gonna owe a debt to jaki really. this guy is pretty wonky but i think it totally works. it's really difficult to record with hot rods and make the kit sound this cool
― Crackle Box, Thursday, 11 October 2012 12:27 (7 months ago) Permalink
Bought 6 tracks off this after listening to the whole thing on spotify. This is some fantastic shit. Was almost as impressed by Drokk but not quite.
― you can kill things and still like them, i don't know (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:51 (7 months ago) Permalink
wulfstan ii (riff) is the only thing that wears thin for me.. don't know if it's the overt stylization of the track, or that it may be the most realized track on the album. otherwise, the songs are hard to pin down (time-origin -wise). track 3 is the only overtly can-like (imo) of the album. "eggdog" is a favorite, and everything after wulfstan is <i>great</i>. "kidney" clean guitar sounds kinda recall sy's expressway (slide-y tones). the the loose drumming throughout is a virtue.
― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Thursday, 11 October 2012 22:59 (7 months ago) Permalink
I agree re: Wulfstan II riff; I really like this album, but that riff is weakish sauce to these ears.
― Yellow Tonka//Sony Titanium - YT//ST (Craig D.), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:19 (7 months ago) Permalink
so how does this line up w/ the previous album on ipecac?
― you can kill things and still like them, i don't know (Jon Lewis), Friday, 12 October 2012 16:09 (7 months ago) Permalink
First album is cool but not as good, Anika album is very good, >> is best of all.
Thing about Wulfstan II is that it's more fully realized on record which makes that riff too insistent (although the dopey little impotent resolution is priceless) but I bet it's a high point of their live set, I want to see this album live in the worst way
― flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, 12 October 2012 16:26 (7 months ago) Permalink
hating the riff in "Wulfstan II" makes the Flying Spaghetti Monster cry
― The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Friday, 12 October 2012 16:29 (7 months ago) Permalink
Drummer in no way is trying to ape Jacki.― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, October 11, 2012 4:19 AM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, October 11, 2012 4:19 AM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
okay this album is great so far (late pass plz) but I think you should listen to Spinning Top again.
that said, this is great and exactly what I would want a Clinic album to sound like in 2012
― Agreeable Goal-reacher (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:44 (6 months ago) Permalink
(which is the second new cool album I've compared to Clinic in the past couple months even though this is actually not that new anymore, which just adds to lameness factor bah!...)
― Agreeable Goal-reacher (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 4 November 2012 14:45 (6 months ago) Permalink
what was the 1st one?
― billstevejim, Sunday, 4 November 2012 17:17 (6 months ago) Permalink
Feeling this way more today than I was a few months ago.
― dojo, Sunday, 4 November 2012 18:01 (6 months ago) Permalink
feeling this greater than or equal to how i was feeling it in early oct. more or less, to some degree.
― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Sunday, 4 November 2012 18:27 (6 months ago) Permalink
Moon Duo (in all fairness I just mentioned the comparison to the leadoff single + video)
― Agreeable Goal-reacher (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 4 November 2012 18:33 (6 months ago) Permalink
actually listening to the new Moon Duo album in full, I do think it makes a decent foil to this album
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 16 November 2012 18:23 (6 months ago) Permalink
New single is on Spotify. Nice driving beat, arpeggiated bass line, in/out/in/out of consonance synth drone, wandering vocals, a little taste of pop towards the end, carefully crafted parts that surprise in their repetition. Very nice!
I saw them a few weeks ago and found the show damn damn boring. They had some kind of "lol we're in *that* London" vibe going on. Also seemed to have some kind of ironic distance from what they were playing, I didn't feel like they were particularly into it at any point. There wasn't any improvisation. I'm sure I'd read how they just kind of jammed a few times and these songs are the result of that. Why not give us a bit of that excitement live, rather than playing each song exactly as it is on the CD?
Of course, I can imagine a lot of people hating the show I'd liked to have seen, my girlfriend loved them.
― Crackle Box, Wednesday, 12 December 2012 10:35 (5 months ago) Permalink
I agree with everything in this review, but I was at the second night so I guessed it might just be fatigue from a long week.
I assumed the gig would be less songs, more jamming but the live tracks were pretty much identical to the album tracks. bit of a disappointment.
and I wouldn't think that Beak> would be an album band.
― my opinionation (Hamildan), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 17:13 (5 months ago) Permalink
i found two songs they recorded with the singer Anika a few years ago.
― billstevejim, Friday, 1 February 2013 23:40 (3 months ago) Permalink
You know that they were the backing band on her whole album right?
The album's pretty good but the live shows were something else.
― Doran, Friday, 1 February 2013 23:44 (3 months ago) Permalink
Just got back from seeing these. They're a lot funner live than on record.
― nate woolls, Saturday, 2 February 2013 00:06 (3 months ago) Permalink
Glad to hear it- I'm seeing them in Philly next weekend!
― muus lääv? :D muus dut :( (Telephone thing), Saturday, 2 February 2013 04:34 (3 months ago) Permalink
xp I heard about it today, but it says they co-wrote only 2 of the songs.
― billstevejim, Saturday, 2 February 2013 04:45 (3 months ago) Permalink
Well yeah, but a bunch of those songs were also cover versions.
― emil.y, Saturday, 2 February 2013 04:56 (3 months ago) Permalink
Is it too cheeky to wear a Can shirt to a BEAK> show? My guess is yes.
― whoop i. goldberg (Stevie D(eux)), Saturday, 9 February 2013 01:10 (3 months ago) Permalink
Do it. And paint it to say CAN>
― emil.y, Saturday, 9 February 2013 01:49 (3 months ago) Permalink