Spirit of the Beehive — ‘Entertainment, Death’
THE GOOD: Noisy Philadelphia psyche rockers Spirit of the Beehive release their fourth.
THE BAD: Is this innovation or laziness? You decide.
THE NITTY GRITTY: At its core, this is an abrasive indie rock record. Yet, each song plays more like a sound collage than anything else. Frontman Zack Schwartz and his crew splice together drum loops, weird samples, bursts of guitar feedback and the occasional dedicated hook.
It’s a hard playlist to follow unless you pay close attention, but that’s probably the point. “Entertainment, Death” gets confrontational in both its construction and volume levels. But after a while, the entire affair feels too directionless (“Did we hit 35 minutes yet? No? Keep going.”).
And that’s a shame because we hear the beginnings of some genuinely good ideas here. Tracks such as the slightly funky “Rapid and Complete Recovery” and the jangly, almost melodic “Wake Up (In Rotation)” move in the right direction before being derailed by some self-indulgent nonsense, or complete lack of follow-through.
BUY IT?: Maybe not.
Night Beats — ‘Outlaw R&B’
THE GOOD: Seattle garage rockers Night Beats come back with a noisy, trippy fifth.
THE BAD: “Outlaw R&B” gets a little too loose across its second half, with jamming overshadowing the songs themselves. But just go with it.
THE NITTY GRITTY: Night Beats has always been singer/songwriter/guitarist Danny Lee Blackwell and whomever he happens to be playing with at any particular time. Here, the guy begins on a tight note, cranking out catchy, driven gems such as “Stuck in the Morning” and “New Day.” These are tracks combining melody with a rawness that works.
As the record plays on, Blackwell stretches out and goes for more experimental sounds. Jams such as “Cream Johnny” and “Crypt” move in different directions, get loud and loose, and make matters more about the overall vibe. The music is equally effective in both settings. But those earlier melodies are so strong that you wish there were more like them later on. Be patient, though. The weirder stuff grows on you.
BUY IT?: Sure.
Islands — ‘Islomania’
THE GOOD: Canadian indie rockers Islands return with a breezy eighth (their first in five years).
THE BAD: Long-time Nicholas Thorburn fans may be shocked at how straightforward this album is. But it’s not a sellout.
THE NITTY GRITTY: Islands was always the brainchild of ex-Unicorns member Thorburn, the catalog an ongoing vehicle for his musical whims. After releasing two records simultaneously in 2016, the man put an end to the Islands project. I guess the breakup didn’t stick.
“Islomania” is an unexpected and triumphant return. But be prepared for something pop-friendly and, for some, disposable. This set is all about rhythms, hooks and good vibes. Tracks such as the title cut and “A Passionate Age” immediately get stuck in your grey matter. A big, goofy smile across your face is inevitable.
Whereas past albums took weird left turns and smashed together everything from post-punk to noise rock, “Islomania” echoes the most infectious bits of Weezer, Vampire Weekend, Chromeo and Daft Punk. Thorburn wants you to have fun. Indulge!
BUY IT?: Yes.
Mike Evans is the author of Sounds and is a super cool radio guy who doesn’t mess around when it comes to music. Contact: mevans@shamrocknepa.com
