Friday, December 17, 2010

Review: Bear In Heaven: Beast Rest Forth Mouth [B+]


Artist: Bear In Heaven
Album: Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Released: October, 2009
Label: Hometapes Records
Genre: experimental rock / electronic

Purchase date: 07 April 2010
Source: eMusic
Format: MP3 files

I bought this album after hearing a single track on the All Songs Considered podcast about the 2010 South By Southwest Music Festival. Bear In Heaven is somewhat difficult music that's worth the effort. They are an experimental rock band from Brooklyn NY that incorporates a large amount of electronic and synthesizer effects into their music. The result is spacious, noisy, large-sounding, music that is still very melodic. There are nods to instrumental post-rock, and I could definitely hear some '70's Kraut rock influence (e.g. Neu!, Kraftwerk). This music is unlike most of the music I listen to, and I had a bit of trouble with that. The first time I listened through the album, I felt disappointed that I'd spent the money. However, the music touched something in me that compelled me to give the record repeated listens. For me, it was worth the effort to get to know this music, as it's now on high rotation on my playlists.

Rating: B+


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