Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth (Hometapes)
Matt Hamm | Thursday, 08 April 2010
Now onto their second album, Beast Rest Forth Mouth is 10 songs, each built upon a foundation of synthy sound and tone. The brain child of musician Jon Philpot, of School of Seven Bells fame, Bear In Heaven take quiet electric innocence and spin it up into a whirlwind of confident Pink Floyd influenced, yet tentative music. At times it's soaked in a sun-stroke like daze of the surreal, like being stranded in a vast expanse of desert with nothing but lizards to keep your ever straining mind company. 'Lovesick Teenagers' and 'You Do You' use rushing synths, that bathe your ears in a Mercury Rev like state of the calm, softly massaging your shoulders with Air-like tenderness.
The dark art of Krautrock is at hand here, too. Pounding with deep beats and bass, Bear In Heaven toy with the listener, dribbling in influence and spectacle as the towering choruses build infront of your eyes. 'Casual Goodbye' reminds of early Porcupine Tree, soaked in dazzling beating drums, layered with synth and fantastical prog rock aplomb. From sun-baked deserts to the claustrophobic nothingness of space, 'Dust Cloud' and 'Ultimate Satisfaction' kick up 80s déjà vu, spiralling in a kaleidoscope of sound and forming a druggy dabble into the unconscious trippy world of epic synthesisers and psychedelic influence.
But don't fear, Bear In Heaven can do more accessible pop-ish tracks too. 'Fake Out' could've been lifted from a Spiritualized album, dancing tenderly across the throbbing bass. Similarly, 'DeAfening Love' is awash with rocky guitar chords and softer high pitched vocals, matching The High Wire in style and resonance.
Beast Rest Forth Mouth is a collision of four musicians taste and direction. As the title suggests, think East West North South. The album is unpredictable, pulling all directions; that creates both the eclectic and odd. It is by no means a polished, spotless ship sailing the musical seas of awesomeness, but it does suggest that Bear In Heaven have more to their arsenal below deck. Until then, listen, enjoy and float in the dizzy cloud land that this band have lovingly laid out for you.
Rating: 3.5/5