Be He Me

Annuals | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 17, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ace Fu Records
• ASIN: B000I0QKMY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,265 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

flexfield5

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite of 2006, January 9, 2007

By 

D. DEFRANCESCO "Dennis D." (The Triangle, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Be He Me (Audio CD)

I came upon Annuals when they opened for Tapes n Tapes in October. Not having heard anything from this band, I was struck by how good they were live, and how easy it was to groove to their then unknown tunes. I purchased Be He Me the following day and played it throughout the remainder of the year, each listening revealing greater depths of sound and meaning. You can hear influences as diverse as The Beach Boys, the Cure, Pink Floyd, Broken Social Scene - yet Annuals never sound derivative, as each track is uniquely crafted and performed. The inclusion of strings, keyboards, and various electronics (to your standard guitar, bass and drums), along with engaging lyrics and super catchy melodies, makes for a truly remarkable debut.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More emotional creative indie rock for the mid-oughts, March 22, 2007

By 

Mister Charlie (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Be He Me (Audio CD)

I haven't heard The Annuals live, I haven't read press about them, I don't know anything about them, but somehow I ended up with this "Be He Me" record. I love approaching music that way.

Anyway. Look, some folks see great harm in comparing a band to other bands, but really it's still probably the best way for a newcomer to get their bearings and decide whether they might be interested. So, here I go... I hear the oft-mentioned Arcade Fire similarities, the emotional sometimes shouty vocals and changes in dynamics, I hear a little of the Animal Collective weirdness (the album challenges your patience with almost 2 minutes of burbly noise to start the 1st song off before the big rock songlet "Brother" kicks in), I hear a bit of Van Dyke Parks/Beach Boys inventiveness (I don't give a cr*p what anyone says, I see the fact that indie bands are willing to waltz as a good thing). "Carry Around" has a kind of Modest Mouse sprinkled w/ '70s funk/lounge thing. I might guess that this is a young band that cut their teeth on both U2 and Neutral Milk Hotel. (Heck, the last 20 seconds of "Bleary-Eyed" sound like an outtake from "Unforgettable Fire").

I feel like the album drags towards the end with two longish (and longing) tracks that seem less interesting and focused than the rest of the album.

Having said all that, I applaud these Annuals for their creativity. While this album is a little bit lacking in great melodic ideas, it's got great energy and here's hoping they'll keep recording and growing.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best records I've heard in a long time..., January 8, 2007

By 

jsoffron "jsoffron" (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be He Me (Audio CD)

This album is incredibly good. I picked it up on recommendation from a friend and felt compelled to write a review on here to spread the word...it's tremendous. Arcade fire comparisons are obvious (though I like this record better, and I love the Arcade fire), but I also hear some badly drawn boy, jeff buckley, islands and classic rock influences. It is fantastic.