Philadelphia's Psychedlicists Spirit of the Beehive don't make it particularly easy for the listener. They are either an incredibly interesting band or one that are probably not worth bothering with at all, depending on where you stand on these things. They certainly don't conform to standard conventions.
On latest album ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, they insist on playing something like fifteen songs every time rather than just one like most people would. I'm not at all sure how they manage to remember how to play these things live.
Listening to the record is not an unpleasant experience as there is plenty of melody and intrigue in what they do. Though this may not be a record to play to your mother.
The likes of My Bloody Valentine, Flaming Lips, Brian Jonestown Massacre Olivia Tremor, Butthole Surfers and also oddly, at one moment, a screaming Kurt, seem to play some kind of formative influence on what's going down here. So does Alice In Wonderland and, dare I say it, psychedelic drugs.
I started off in terms of my listening experience to ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH in somewhat impatient mode but softened as the record played. I rn fact I ended up rather warmed by its refusal to sit still for a moment.
Disorientation is clearly a key ingredient of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE's modus vivandi. This kind of approach has been at play sing Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters hit the road, and this is just one of its latest variants.
Anyhow, this gets the thumbs up for me. I think it's a very well realised record and it should find itself an appreciative audience. A trip for sure, and not one without its beauty spots and memorable detours.
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