1 Comment Written by Ezzzy on December 5, 2008 – 9:53 pm

Artist: Beaches

Album: Self Titled

Rating: 10/10 (revised score)

Similar Artists: Love of Diagrams, Panel of Judges, Spider Vomit, Flesh vs Venom, The Diamond Sea

Genre: Psychedelic, garage, rock, surf-punk, krautrock

Link: Beaches Myspace

For the past week I’ve been thinking to myself I need something different to listen to. Between the tradies next door singing Jimmy Barnes and the classical pianist who plays for hours on end, its no wonder I was hitting a wall of confusion. Then I received Beaches in the mail! Ladies, you saved my ears from Khe Sahn sung by an overweight builder (sorry dad).

It’s like being in a lucid dream when you put this on. From the word go you’re drawn into a dense sound of wah and a bass line you just won’t be able to get out of you head. Amazing textures and harmonies which you can hear unfold and progress infront of you makes for a sound which fights with itself then runs with itself. It’s almost like listening to an instructional tape of how things expand and contract then implode on themselves only to start the process again, getting better the next time round. Personal favorites would be the songs ‘Sandy’, and ‘Ramblin’, but as a whole this debut is a tsunami effort

This is one band who know how to work together and that’s something that appeals to me most about Beaches. There isn’t any front man/woman bullshit, there isn’t a feeling of pretension, there isn’t anything but yourself realising you have just been busted by your neighbour, sitting in your backyard on your own with a smile from ear to ear whilst your head has been bopping like one of those annoying dog toys people have on their car dash.

To be brutally honest, I really didn’t think I would like this album. I don’t know why I had this thought because I had only heard snippets of Beaches. But to be extra honest my conclusive thought was ‘THIS EFFIN’ RULES!’ and when you take a look at some of the band members other artistic ventures and side projects, its really no suprise at all. Beaches are Antonia Sellbach (love of diagrams) on guitar and vocals, Alison Bolger (panel of judges) on guitar and vocals, Ali McCann on guitar and vocals, Gill Tucker (spider vomit) on bass and vocals and Karla Way on drums and vocals.

Do yourself a favour and buy this album (available from Mistletone Records online store). Not only are you getting some great music by awesome Melbourne artists but you’re also supporting one of the most awesome local labels out there.

Beaches are also playing at Meredith music Festival

Sunday December 13, 2008