Bear in Heaven
Beast Rest Forth Mouth
(Hometapes)

Brooklyn is a popular breeding ground for indie bands that don’t want to follow the old model of guitar-driven rock. Bear in Heaven’s Beast Rest Forth Mouth certainly fits that bill, combining the gentleness of psychedelic rock with notes of electronica. The result bravely straddles the barriers between peace and chaos, melody and dissonance. The album draws you into peaceful lulls only to shake you out again with insistent drums and soaring choruses that snap your attention back quickly enough to inspire whiplash. Bear in Heaven’s unique place in pop music is something that has to be heard to be understood, and music lovers would do themselves a favor by checking out the tracks “You Do You,” with a spooky sort of beauty and nearly hip hop beat, and “Deafening Love,” which has an opening akin to Bloc Party’s “Like Eating Glass” before the track diverges into a realm all its own. Energetic and fresh, Beast Rest Forth Mouth is an album that is nearly beyond words, filled with rich layers that demand repeat listenings to pick through and enjoy.