Beat Happening - Beat Happening

ewww

He's the way I see Beat Happening: either they are intentionally making crap, or they don't know how bad this actually is. Either way, it's crap, and this is one of--maybe THE--most over-rated albums ever. The singing is not singing, it's merely off-key, monotonous groaning. The lyrics are no better constructed than a simple dialogue or random thoughts in one's head. The strumming is utterly boring and un-inventive. The banging on pots in the background is just that. The recording technique is contrived. If they were really serious about their music, the would spend an extra $[...] on a better tape recorder.

I'm pretty sure I understand what they're trying to do here, but then almost anyone could make this same noise. It's simple sing-song jingles in nursery rhyme meter. And if you don't fully believe that, and you like the hooks that much, then you should demand better production and musical accomplishment. I mean, if they're that great, think how much greater they could be if they acted like a real band. Not trying to be judgemental, I just believe that intentionally "sounding bad" should not really be a viable gimmick in the music industry. Especially when I'm paying $[...] for the CD. August 8, 2008

May Be An Aquired Taste, But WELL WORTH IT--THIS IS THE BEST!!

For a couple years, I had a few Beat Happening tracks on my hard-drive that I'd randomly downloaded simply because I'd heard the name and how influential they were. Too cheap to invest, I left it at that for a while. I received the Beat Happening box set as a birthday present, and was excited to find out what the band was really all about. I popped Disc One into my CD Player while I had a couple of friends over, and minutes into it grew truly embarassed at how amateur and just plain "AWFUL" it sounded, and removed the disc. As days passed, I began to get really into some of their more developed discs, like "You Turn Me On" and "Dreamy"; this was a really amazing band...

To make a long story short, I will say that Beat Happening quickly became the most frequently played band in my stereo. As I got more into them, I decided to give Disc One ("Beat Happening") another chance, and let me tell you... THIS IS NOW BY FAR MY FAVORITE BEAT HAPPENING RECORD.

Is it their most finely crafted album? No. Is it their most mature? Definitely not.

I must say, though, that there is something about the songs on this disc (yes, ALL of them!) that blows me away, no matter how many times I listen to them. Calvin's lyrics are so simple--almost as though they were written/sung by a kindergarden student--yet they are profound in their simplicity, perfectly expressing the very essence of the most basic human emotions--love, loneliness, fear, excitement, etc.

I never thought I'd claim that a song consisting of fuzzed-out droning vocals and some random guy beating on a tin can was an absolute classic--but this is what makes Beat Happening such a phenomenal group. This is where lo-fi began, and I doubt if any super-hip band in the 2000's will ever match the simplicity and utter beauty of these early recordings.

If you have the patience to really give this album a chance, I am sure that you will agree that it is a hands-down classic--five stars, no doubt. I do not lie when I say that this record changed my life and will always be remembered as THE soundtrack to the random, confused, but exciting years of my early 20's. Thank you Calvin Johnson.

THIS RECORD IS AMAZING. January 12, 2006

The beat is happening

I own the box set, and would encourage everyone that is interested to make the investment. The reason why I'm writing this review is to stick up for an album that I believe to be worthy of five stars. This album will show you how diverse and ahead of their time Beat Happening really was. With out a doubt my favorite album by Beat Happening and you'll see that even though it has a rough sound there really is a lot going on here. January 17, 2005

Stick with the later stuff

It's a good thing Beat Happening started their own label, otherwise this would have never been released. If you've listened to their later albums "Dreamy" or "You Turn Me On" and are looking to further explore Beat Happening, avoid this. The only really good song is "Foggy Eyes," while "I Let Him Get To Me" and "I Spy" are passably OK. Pathetic doesn't begin to describe the rest of it.

This isn't controversial "art rock" like Sonic Youth or Syd Barrett era Floyd exploring innovative sonic structures and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. It's not even an aquired taste. If I had put this together one night goofing off with friends, I would count it as a supreme embarrassment if it ever made it to the web. Like the Jedi kid video. It literally sounds like someone threw a guitar and drum set into a pre-school. Heather's vocals are OK but whenever Bret and Calvin sing, it sounds like they threw the microphone into a special ed class who attempt to sing along to the aforementioned pre-school soundtrack. Before they heard it. I know I sound high on the Hatorade, but this "release" is really that bad.

If you're a completist and just HAVE to HAVE it, buy it used.

The best that can said of this is that it should have been released as a poetry book instead of an album.

I would also like to point out that 4 and 5 star reviews gave it also used words and phrases like "musically inept," "talentless," "tuneless," "rudimentary musicianship" and so on. Everyone here is in agreement, but those are qualities I normally associate with BAD reviews. July 17, 2004

Totally Overrated

Annoying, pretentious snob-rock made by and for well-off upper-middle class whitebread bozos. One of the most elitist and exclusive "scenes" rock and roll has ever produced. Worse than Disco, prog-rock, Goth, New Romantic, you name it. June 24, 2003

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