Beehoover-Concrete Catalyst

Exile on Mainstream
2011

The duo of Ingmar Petersen (bass and vocals) and Claus-Peter Hamisch (drums and vocals) collectively known as Beehoover return with their brand of experimental doom/post rock noise. Some bands try to bring everything they can to their sound and sometimes that works and other times it's messy. Well, Beehoover go a different route and they always. That method is that they play a minimalistic style that works off simple patterns. Certainly not an idea that would work for everyone, but these guys have mastered it because they know to get so much out of what they do. Just when you think you have them pegged they throw in a curve ball and take off in another direction There is frequently a loose almost jam like quality to the music at times. Like instead of recording they are just getting together in a basement and pulling together all these ideas that have been brewing inside them. The swirling madness that focus around singular notes in "Oceanriver" is a prime example of this band's major strength. It's not always about being off the all either as evidenced by the simple yet deep cutting melodies on "Rocking Chair". Sometimes they are just out there with something like "Wild geese yell" which combines storm noises with acoustic fragments. The real masterpiece here for me is "Dragonfighter" which stands as a prime example of their mastery of accomplishing a lot with a minimum of pieces. With just drums and bass they create a gigantic wall of sound on this slow monster. Just a fine album all the way around and one I'll definitely be spinning over and over during the year.