Beehoover – The Sun Behind The Dustbin (Exile On Mainstream)
By Chris Barnes
March 24, 2007

The list of really good guitarless rock bands is pretty short. Actually the list of guitarless bands in general is pretty damn short in and of itself. I harken back to the late, great Morphine which featured a two-string bass, drums, sax and occasional piano and made some genius music back in the ‘90’s. But that’s about all that hits me. Man that was a great band.

So it’s hard not to think of Morphine when I hear Germany’s Beehoover, although there is little in common with the music in either other than a shared love for stark minimalism. The former combined blues and jazz to score their genius, where Beehoover take the early non-conformist leanings of the early Stoner movement ( I hear a lot of the late, great Beaver here as well as fellow-countrymen Colour Haze), the eccentric rhythms of Krautrock and mesh it with a free-flow jazz approach. The result is very different from virtually everything else I hear on a daily basis. Beehoover is minimalist rhythmic dynamite.

I should also note that the two fellows that comprise Beehoover, are also the rhythm section in famed German doom rockers, Voodooshock. I think this fact has prejudiced many reviewers minds, because I keep reading that Beehoover is “doom-jazz” and other nonsense. I think that term belongs solely to Bohren & Der Club of Gore and no one else. The music of Beehoover can create stark and barren songscapes, most notably on the title track, but I hear little doom metal influence here. Plus vocalist/singer Ingmar Petersen sounds wayyy to happy for doom. Make that happy or crazy. Some of those abstract lyrics and that manic delivery…

In short, Beehoover is really something I can safely say that is both unique and enjoyable, especially if you’re a fan of creative drum/bass interplay and exceptional songwriting skills. Great stuff.


Download a MP3 of Yello Mile

Purchase The Sun Behind The Dustbin at the Hellride Music Superstore

Visit the Beehoover website at www.beehoover.com

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Doomcifer

very interesting.

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With mind distracted, never thinking death is coming... To slave away on the pointless business of mundane life, and then to come out empty is a tragic error..

Arzgarth

Isn't this heavy on the slap bass? I've had it on as background music but haven't mustered up the "Review Listening" courage yet.

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Chris

Slap bass? Like the Flea sorta thing? I dunno, maybe. It sounds more Mike Watt than Flea to my ears, Johnny Arzgarth.

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