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Our album of the week (4th February 2011)
...according to our Business Lady on Thu 03 Feb, 2011.
I won't bother trying to disguise my outright enthusiasm for the Action Beat lads from Bletchley, they fucking rock! They've always rocked! They will continue to rock whether you give a shit or not. Ever since head honcho (and Fortissimo records main man) Don Mclean and his crew decided to form a massive chong smoking, Bitburger drinking, beast of a band they've been unstoppable, destroying venues, parties, work spaces, car parks and various other locations with their 'lets all play together really fucking loud and fast as often as we can' approach. For those of you unfamiliar with the bands first album 'The Noise Band from Bletchley' I advise you check it out but this is as good a starting point as any as 'Beatings' takes the sonic blueprint of it's predecessor and runs crazy wild with it. They may unashamedly mash the sound of early Sonic Youth with the best of The Ex but they do it so well and with such enthusiasm that it's entirely forgivable, especially on the strength of new killer new tracks like 'Krang' and 'Car Crash Halloween Disco'. With a (pretty much) solid line-up of seven members they've created a vast, ear-drum bending extravaganza of a record whose energy can be felt from the moment the needle is dropped. I could chunter on forever about this one but I'll leave it at... Outstanding! Worth noting that the evening i found out I was getting this job I played drums with these guys at a gig in Leeds. It was the happiest day of my life. Been pretty much downhill since then. Thanks BLETCH lads!
Truth Cult proudly presents another whirlwind recording for the Bletchley boys Action Beat, with the follow up to their debut The Noise Band From Bletchley. Like its predecessor, Beatings was recorded at Southern Studios in just two days and this time with at least seven musicians, which is evident in the sheer verve and potency of the album. It would be an understatement to say the boys have lost none of their energy in the recording process. They have taken their perfected improvised noise formula, driven by magnetic interlocking guitar harmonies, pummelling drums and crashing symbols and ramped it up a notch, or three. As with their first album, their musical influences such as The Ex and Sonic Youth are still proudly on display, particularly on the songs "Solgunn" and "Bergen to Bletchley". Some of the other album tracks you may recognise if you have caught them at one of their umpteen live shows recently but Action Beat also pull out some original 'never-been-played-before' material, including the track "Daddy Why?" which builds upon the Krautrock-mantra of some of their older material and for the first time ever, utilises fitting male vocals (provided by House Of John Player). This is the sound of a band maturing. But fear not, for if it was Action Beat's boisterousness that you always admired, that is still very prominent in the artwork. True to form Action Beat have once again won the title of 'touring machines' as they set out on the road again and play out the new material from September to what seems like forever. Their mammoth touring schedule predominantly takes them to the Continent but not before a whistle-stop tour of the UK. First pressing of the vinyl is 180 gm, gatefold sleeved..500 only..of which we have 200 for UK sales only, and with the obligatory DL code too!. First pressing of the CD is limited to 500, comes with a bonus cd of 12 tracks not available anywhere else, nicely packaged in a deluxe gatefold cardboard / LP styled sleeve.
...according to Ben Paulson.
I have been a 'fan' of Action Beat for a number of years now, and this album has seen them firmly cement their place in the UK underground. 'Beatings' is terrifyingly brutal from start to finish. With barbed wire guitar riffs and thunderous drums, this album is nothing less than sonic shotgun to the head.
I imagine this will be a contender for album of the year.Rating: 5 out of 5So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!
Norman Records,
Unit 20, Croydon House,
Croydon Street,
Leeds,
LS11 9RT, UK.
Tel/fax: (+44) 0113 245 4399
Email: phil@normanrecords.com
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