Beans

They come from a land Down Under. Melbourne, to be precise. Things are happening there, what it is, ‘is’ exactly clear. A scene, a sensibility, a state of affairs and mind that consistently churns out quality artistic product.

Beans is the name of the band comprised of sometime Murlocs drummer Matt Blach, Jack Kong, Lachlan McKiernan, Vincent Clemenston and Mitch Rice who to date have released 2018’s ‘Babble’ and 2020’s ‘All Together Now’.

Beans is also the nom de guerre that Blach adopts when venturing into solitary battle as on this occasion. Enforced isolation and imposed ideals of connectivity during the global clampdown activated this creative flurry where new approaches were sought (and found) leading to greater levels of technique and production.

This process also precipitated an unblocking of penned-in paranoia and a determination to confront all existential voices and embrace any essential noises.

They come from a land Down Under. Melbourne, to be precise. Things are happening there, what it is, ‘is’ exactly clear. A scene, a sensibility, a state of affairs and open minds that consistently churns out quality artistic product.

Beans is the name of the band comprised of sometime Murlocs drummer Matt Blach, Jack Kong, Lachlan McKiernan, Vincent Clemenston and Mitch Rice who to date have released 2018’s ‘Babble’ and 2020’s ‘All Together Now’.

Beans is also the nom de guerre that Blach adopts when venturing into solitary battle as on this occasion. Enforced isolation and imposed ideals of connectivity during the global clampdown activated this creative flurry where new approaches were sought (and found) leading to greater levels of technique and production.

This process also precipitated an unblocking of penned-in paranoia and a determination to confront all existential voices and embrace any essential noises.

Opener is the Stranglers-like ‘Groove’. It’s smoove. With an edge. It moves with laidback loquaciousness. Soothes with payback spaciousness.

‘Strung Along’ evokes 10cc’s playful plundering of postmodern pastiche and pop-nous.

‘Dreaming Daisy’, ‘Silhouette’ and ‘Calling’ parlay post-Revolver psychedelic upbeat comedowns a la psyche-luminaries King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, another combo from the thriving environs of the state of Victoria.

Several instrumentals act as sonic backdrops in emotion: On ‘Kookaburra’ Beans draw from the panoramic peripheries of late 60s/early 70s progressive rock (c.f. Caravan; Gong) in a similar manner to fellow Melburnians Mildlife’s own form of kaleidoscopia. Wakeman up before you go-go!

‘One to Four’ is a placid-jazz theme tune; ‘Siamese Blundstone’ a punk-funk-out; album closer and standout ‘Casio Casino’ casts seedy shadows, a hypnotic trance that moodily enchants the listener perilously towards the chance of a dance with romance.

‘Boots N Cats’ (on Fuzz Club) is the first of two releases in 2024.

Beans, Beans, good for their art, the more you hear the more you’re a part. Join in.