D.I.Y. by every definition,
Beehoover's third album, 2010's
Concrete Catalyst, was allegedly recorded and mixed in the band's own rehearsal space in under 30 hours' time -- pretty impressive for a two-man operation consisting of vocalist/guitarist/bassist Ingmar Peterson and drummer Claus-Peter Hamisch, not to mention an album whose songs bleed into one another in virtually uninterrupted fashion. So seamless are these transitions, at times, that one is forced to consult the mp3 player for help, but few listeners will feel like they need it, given the album's mesmerizing flow even as it covers an incredibly broad range of sounds, singing styles, and intriguing musical references from start to finish. "Oceanriver" and "Counted Is Bygone" both marry System of a Down's wacky vocalizing with hypnotic stoner rock riffs on a motorik kick; groove-laden numbers like "Five Minutes of Resistance" and "A Poem" feature shouted, somewhat comical vocals recalling
Clutch; acoustic breathers like "Rocking Chair" and "Wild Geese Yell" sound like
Jethro Tull minus
Ian Anderson's flute; and while the innately evil stoner rock of "Sultana" screams
Karma to Burn, the not dissimilar "The Dragonfighter" alternates passages of stark minimalism with rumbling low-end riffs and deadpan vocals reminiscent of
Roger Waters, before sending everyone home on the bossa nova-styled introduction of "Trainer." A pretty darn eclectic collection, in other words, and indicative of what happens when a rhythm section finally cuts loose from holding down the beat in the background; singers and guitarists everywhere beware: here come
Beehoover. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia