Beatglider - Witches
by Anthony Strutt
published: 27 / 10 / 2008

Label:
Enraptured Records
Format: CD
intro
Fantastic and haunting third album from versatile shoegazing-influenced group, Beatglider
'Witches' is the third album but only the second to have been released by this Southend-on-Sea based band that have been around since the mid 90's. Beatglider formed out of a love of Shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth. The album opens with 'Telepathic', the soft, haunting shoegazing waves of which wash the day's hassles away from even the tiredest of bodies. 'The Rattlesnake' is one of the best songs that I have ever heard. Clocking in at just over 7 minutes, it is a monster of a song which starts off sounding like a Chapterhouse or Ride before the backing harmonies and rhythm move in, giving it a Slowdive haze, at which point Lee Hall's vocals also kick in. As it moves on, it gets grittier and much more savage, before it slows down to its original pace. 'When Times Stands Still' is short and sweet, sounding like a superior Coldplay. 'Wasteful is Love' is offbeat in sound. It features elegant guitar and piano, before becoming more progressive and ending in a somewhat industrial manner that sounds like the soundtrack to a weird David Lynch nightmare. 'Wild Night' is a chill out number, while 'Dark, Dark Woods' has spooky effects and a slow pace. 'Layers of Bark' is very soft in sound, angelic and charming, while 'Lights on the Water' has a darker nu-gaze vibe, sounding like a decent Cure album track. 'Your Fingers Bright' is like a dark and psychedelic Placebo song, while 'Sleepers' in contrast is a short, sweet instrumental. 'Witches' starts off sounding like a perky pop-based number until it eventually speeds up, recalling a dirtier Radiohead. It lasts nine minutes and concludes sounding like a 1970's horror film soundtrack. 'Nature's Arms; closes the record, and, soft and harmony-based, recollects Simon and Garfunkel.
Track Listing:-
1 Telepathic2 The Rattlesnake
3 Where Time Stands Still
4 Wasteful Is Love
5 Wild Night
6 Dark Dark Woods
7 Layers Of Bark
8 Lights On The Water
9 Your Fingers Bright
10 Sleepers
11 Witches
12 Natures Arms
Label Links:-
http://www.enraptured-records.com/https://www.youtube.com/user/enrapturedrecords
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Enraptured-Records/210309919017
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