Beat Happening

Released

Beat Happening aren’t being coy, or twee, or indie at all, on their debut album – or, really, on any of their subsequent albums. They’ve simply distilled pop down to something beyond its essence – one guitar, some shuffling drums, a voice that’s either beautifully frank (Heather) or stridently playful (Calvin). Sometimes the guitars disappear, the drums too, and you’re down to the stomping of feet, the clapping of hands, bodies in motion – using whatever’s close by to make the song happen. That Beat Happening went on to influence a lot of twee music is not its fault; some listeners seemed to miss what was so sexy about Beat Happening, and sometimes, what was kinda sinister. And in amongst all of that, there are great, fearsome rock songs, like “Bad Seeds,” and gorgeous pop, like “Foggy Eyes.” It’s a perfect album.

Jon Dale

Suggestions
Cold and Bouncy cover

Cold and Bouncy

The High Llamas
154 cover

154

Wire
Brave Words cover

Brave Words

The Chills
Stars On E.S.P. cover

Stars On E.S.P.

His Name Is Alive
Slumber Party cover

Slumber Party

Slumber Party
Tales of the Unexpected cover

Tales of the Unexpected

The Lighthouse Keepers
Picaresque cover

Picaresque

The Decemberists
Look Sharp! cover

Look Sharp!

Joe Jackson
Up the Bracket cover

Up the Bracket

The Libertines
Deep Fantasy cover

Deep Fantasy

White Lung