BEECHER - Resention Is A Big Word In A Small Town

BEECHER
Resention Is A Big Word In A Small Town
In At The Deep End Records - 2004
4/10




Clocking in at just less than thirty minutes, this MCD gives you a pretty good idea of what Beecher is all about. The band puts forth some tremendous riffs and interesting tempo changes.

Having said that, Ed Godby’s high-end screeching becomes irritating very quickly. He simply lacks power in his screams, causing the bands thick, gigantic riffs to become ineffective. Godby sounds more like a chicken clucking away than a ballsy ‘core singer (and yes, one must have balls to sing core music). The jazzy beats put forth by Will Shaw in “Megadrive vs. SNES” are phenomenal, ranking with some of the most interesting beats of the year, but the clucking spoils the fun.

Godby doesn’t fare so well when attempting melodic vocals either, often coming in off key and sounding somewhat tone deaf in general. The instrumentation on this record is fantastic and all of these songs would be killer if there wasn’t some mousy fellow screaming “Fuck you” over top of it in that clucky, squeaky voice.

It is even respectable to consider that Godby might just be trying to sound a little different, but it simply does not work. Shaw, on the other hand is an explosive, absolutely rocking drummer, so in that fact, you may find some small solace. The bottom line is that Godby needs to seriously rethink the silly vocal approach if this band ever intends on being much more than an amusing novelty.

Watch for these guys to release an album for Earache Records soon, maybe Godby will get some goddamn grapes by that time.

By: Hardcore Jill

BEECHER - Breaking The Fourth Wall

BEECHER
Breaking The Fourth Wall
Earache Records - 2005
7/10




Beecher’s self-titled Earache Records debut finds the group has matured a bit from their last release, with the most notable change being in the vocal department.

The singing on this release is much more forceful than on the group’s first record, the screeching chicken noises of yesterday are almost non-existent here, and that is to the band’s betterment.

The group is still very sound technically with “Dead For Weeks” and “Mercury Switch” being perfect examples of this fact. These blokes pay just a bit more attention to maintaining interesting arrangements than many of their peers do, peering around musical corners where others fear to scope. “Burning Surface” is a textured foray into varied sonic possibilities that is ultimately more than enjoyable, offering a memorable voicing that does the job quite nicely.

“Red Diesel” is utterly rabid, as the group blasts away with a treble-toned aggression that is purely blazing. “Beecher” also includes a four song BBC session which covers some of the album’s most crucial tracks. You’ll hear a voracious rendition of “Let Them Drown” that provides a good representation of the aural thunder that these guys can dish out in a live situation.

Beecher is a group that continues to develop their sound, combining an enormous amount of instrumental ability with a knack for dynamic which leads to a decisively dangerous listen.

By: Hardcore Jill

Beecher - This Elegy, His Autopsy Review

Beecher
This Elegy, His Autopsy
Earache Records
8/10
Label Website



Boy, Beecher really blew their load in a hurry. Signing with Earache in late 2004 , folowing the issuance of their IATDE Record “Resention Is A Big Word In A Small Town,” 2005 saw the re-release of the band’s “Breaking The Fourth Wall” and this posthumous swan song in the same year. As a journalist, I must admit I felt a bit beat over the head by Beecher, with three releases flying at me in under a year and a half, but let there be no doubt that “This Elegy, His Autopsy” is irrefutably the band’s best work.

Very textured, admirably experimental and most importantly, richly engaging, this 13-track affair is an exercise in sonic deviancy, from Blasting grind, to restless post-hardcore to Dillinger Escape Plan-type trickery. Beecher displays maturity and vast potential. Knob-turning by Kurt Ballou of Converge will no doubt bring up quick comparisons to the outfit of the producer, but Beecher makes an honest attempt to put on their own face, a trait that’s more apparent on this record than any issued by the group thus far.

Ed Goodby issues jagged shrieks and pointed screaming over top of thick dissonance and fluctuating, obtuse tempos. But the sound of Beecher is not always completely over-the-top, the group also takes occasion to throw depth and in small instances, melody into their songwriting. From the reckless chaos of “Function! Function!” to the swelling ambience of “The Biting Cold,” “This Elegy, His Autopsy” is a compelling listen with a massive scope. Although it serves as the band’s epitaph as is, more Beecher music would certainly be welcome, this makes for an excellent parting statement from a group that more than likely burned too brightly much too quickly.

By: Hardcore Jill