Manchester has long been recognised as a breeding ground for musical talent. The so-called “Mad-chester†scene gave rise to the likes of the Happy Mondays, the Stone Roses and more recently the annoying Gallagher brothers with Oasis. However, amongst this plethora of high profile acts there has been little in the way of well know punk bands hailing from the area. All this is set to change with the arrival of Beecher. ‘Resention is a big word in a small town‘ is the bands debut EP, featuring seven original tracks and released through In At The Deep End Records.
Beecher began life in 2000, with three members and the notion of being a collaborative group incorporating local musicians. However, the initial plan failed and by 2001 Beecher had become a five-piece band. ‘Resention is a big word in a small town‘ was released earlier this year and has already been bombarded with critical praise: it’s not difficult to see why.
The most striking thing about Beecher is their ability to combine a great number of musical styles. Over the course of the seven songs they veer from hardcore/metal to softer more ambient styles, with plenty of time to incorporate styles in between and throw in a whole load of technical wizardry for good measure.
Opening track ‘You’ve got 7 weeks’ gives a good taste of what is to come. The song builds from a slow and brooding start, again showing the bands taste for the electronic. By the time the chorus kicks in, with vocalist Ed Godby displaying a Mike Patton-esque style, you know this is a band that are going to stand out from the crowd. ‘Megadrive Vs Snes’ by comparison, sees the band in straightforward hardcore mode, with shrieking vocals and superb drumming. ‘Rise above grace’ has the band striding across genres once more and features a big infectious chorus.
‘Resention’ and ‘Artistic roll call’ both find the band in heavier territory, with great guitar riffs and varying vocal ranges. These two tracks also display the bands ability to change tempo during songs, a trait that adds a further dimension to their sound. The final two tracks, ‘Circus de lobos’ and ‘KAR120C’ meld into each other a little too much for my liking, but still see the band displaying fine technical ability.
Beecher are brutal, beautiful and brilliant in equal measures. ‘Resention is a big word in a small town‘ is a stunning debut that showcases how versatile the band are. Don’t even thinking about attaching a label to this band because they will prove you wrong within the space of two songs! With their ability to stun and delight the listener at the same time, Beecher have produced one of the best UK releases of the year. There can be little doubt that this is a band going places…
Mark