Beep Beep - Business Casual

by Mark Rowland

published: 16 / 8 / 2004

Label: Saddle Creek
Format: CD

intro

Unusual but compelling debut album from latest Saddle Creek signings beep Beep, who prove to be "the missing link between the Gang of Four and Jesus Lizard"

Beep Beep are the missing link between the Gang of Four and Jesus Lizard. They were formed in 2001 by Eric Bemberger and Chris Hughes, and have been prominent figures on the Omaha, Nebraska scene ever since. ‘Business Casual’, their debut album, occasionally wanders off into similar territory as !!!, but on the whole, they take their groovy post punk into strange new places. ‘Business Casual’ explores office culture as it’s main lyrical theme, seemingly aiming to connect it with sexual deviance. Chris Hughes’ vocals are manic, occasionally stumbling into a tune but mainly dart all over the place hazardly. Tracks like ‘Oh no!’ are slightly more on the Jesus Lizard side of things, while the band bring in dark synths on tracks like ‘Giggle Giggle’. One of the most straightforward tracks is ‘Misuse Their Bodies’, the most overtly funk-punk, and the most tuneful as well, with a proper chorus. It’s also probably the weakest track on the album because of this, not including the ‘Chewy Poison’ interlude. The band really excels when mixing all it’s influences together in one, pulling them away from the hordes of sub-standard post punk bands that have appeared everywhere over the past year. Not your usual Saddle Creek fare, but definitely a band that deserves to grace it, showing that some Post punk influenced bands can take that influence and make it their own, rather than trying to be just like their influences.

Track Listing:-

1 I Am The Secretary
2 Oh No!
3 Misuse Their Bodies
4 Giggle Giggle
5 Electronic Wolves
6 Chewy Poison
7 Executive Foliage
8 The Fluorescent Lights
9 Vertical Cougar
10 The Threat Of Nature

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