Customer Reviews

Printz

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So you've decided to check out Bumblebeez 81 because that Pony Ride video on Subterrean was so weird and kind of catchy and gosh, what are they all about anyway?

Ok, so you're sick of mainstream drivel garbage pop cr@p. (Please! We all know how much pop stinks.) And you're looking for something different. You know yourself well enough to know that you're open to the blending of genres and not opposed to trying on some post nu wave disco punk hop for size (though I resist pigeon-holing this band so rigidly..)

You like them or you don't. There's no easy answer. You enjoy taking a chance on a cd and hoping one or two or, if you're lucky, three songs stick to your cd/mp3 player like glue and compell you to sing along. Who cannot resist chanting with Vila when she's cooly telling us all that "she knows she's got it, she knows that she can flaunt it"

If you're in the slightest way interested in Beastie Boys, Von Bondies (I saw somewhere Bumblebeez 81 referred to as the Von Beasties, and I'm telling you, this is not so far from the absolute truth), this cd is sure to please.

They're not perfect. They're not trying to change the face of music. But yet, there's something about them that screams LISTEN TO ME, like me! I'm Different! Yeah, they ride the pony. They may even ride the little pony, but I'm telling you, they're worth the ride! Personally, "Vila Attacks" is going down as one of my all time favorite songs. "Step Back" and "Bambino" are clever and rocking and yes, I even like "Pony Ride".

If you're not sure; if perhaps you don't like the sound of white girls rapping or the thought of minimalist, dissonate beats and hooks grabbing you and sinking themselves so deeply into your skin you can think of nothing else, well, then perhaps you should pass. By for those of you looking for something fun, something loud, something new and rocking and ultimately positive and kooky, FEEL THE BUMBLEBEEZ.

I was drawn in by their innovative and startingly original video for "Pony Ride". It is truly amazing that Mtv has given soo much airplay to such an (until now) obscure band. The bulk of the material off of this album, has been released in some form or another, dating back from 2002. They basically combined their previous two ep's (White Printz and Red Prinze).
However, the album adds up to a hypnotically entrancing, fun filled smorgasbord of beats, melody and rhyme. From the opening track, "OUNO", through the closing track, "Come Ova", each track is consistently engaging. Standouts include, "I Come With Water", "Microphone Diseases", "Pony Ride", "Bambino" and "Vila Attack".
I can't wait to see what the future holds for this impressive new presence on an otherwise bleak musical landscape.

Blasting out of Australia and heading towards Paul's Boutique is Bumblebeez 81. Amid the noise and dust of their ascent you can see where the duo is heading but you may not be able to hear where this album falls a bit short.

The first track, while not altogether bad, sounds less like realized song and more like late night drunken studio toss-offs. "Step back," "I come with water" and "Let's go" pull a White Stripes in that they revolve around simple arrangements - usually bass, rudimentary plucked guitar and drums - but despite the simplicity they aren't unpleasant. "Let's go" is pure lo-fi punk/death dance disco.

"Microphone diseases" has a bare bones musical approach that pushes April's rapping to the front, and it is a decent showcase although she's not giving Blackalicious a run for their money, and the fact that it keeps going is a bit unnerving. "Get dressed" is just bad and at nearly four minutes is unbearable.

"Pony ride," of course, is all tightly woven hooks and bombastic beats that combine for a phenomenal song, but the second half of the album doesn't provide the knockout blow. "Bambino" is annoying and "Brooklyn" stands out a bit (like braile letters on paper) but is so derivitive you won't know if you're listening to Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys or Bumblebeez. "Vila attack" has a techno-ish feel to it that changes the sound up.

Not for lack of effort or enthusiasm, this debut sounds too same-y to warrant a breathless review. Certainly not a bad album, but the feeling is that the Bumblebeez will be great on their third album. However, music is so very subjective that this album could be right up your ally, but some people may want to proceed with caution.

I'm showing my age but think Talking Heads late 70's "More Songs about Buildings and Food" - there was nothing to compare it to and it certainly was an acquired taste. But goundbreaking and refreshingly different. The Bumblebeez debut has that same feel - their next few albums will be telltale. There are several great songs on this CD but a few songs are not as great. If you want to try something out of the mainstream that is rock-rap-techno-punk - give this a shot. It's better than recycled Linkin Park and the like...

Okay, the music is good. BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GUY IS SAYING. As I was listening to this cd in my study, I noticed I was bobbing my head to the beat but singing, excuse me, rather bouncing my mouth up and down like an idiot trying to match the words. The music is good, but can't they find a decent microphone or something???

Records used to come out like this all the time. Every other track sounded like a new band. There was freedom. There was a defiance of genres and categories. You get that in Beck and Wire. Bumblebeez81 don't exactly pull this off, but pretty damn close. They do focus on similar beats and bass guitar riffs and some shoddy rapping. It's noisy and out of control. The songs just peter out. "Step Back" sounds like a kiddie band trying to rock hard. That leads to "I've Come With Water" that has a lame acoustic guitar riff, that sounds cool too. "Microphone Diseases" has some female rapping. It turns out to be a brother and sister band. It's an interlude. This is actually the best stuff from two EP. The band is the creation of Chris Colonna who seemed like he wanted to get a lot of musical ideas and influences in one album. Colonna's main influence is Jean-Michel Basquiat and the whole downtown art scene of that time. Hence the name of the band. It's a band to love or hate.

This album is pretty creative, and quite dense. At first I thought I'd get bored with it after a few listens, but it has stuck with me. There is alot going on here, you really just gotta sit down in your favorite chair and put this record on really loud on your favorite speakers and just listen. There is alot of brilliance going on here, and I highly anticipate the future of this band.

Like many before Mixing Rythm with Rock is not a new idea, but instead of going the route of such famed bands like Linkin Park and mixing Pop Rock with Pop Rap, they go to the other end and instead use more indie rock and street sounding rap. One of the strangest things I found about it is that they really seperate the songs by rap and rock so you'll be listening to rock and all of a sudden think your not listening to the same band becuase the next track is so drastically different. They are a good band I tend to like their rock expressions but their rap is good but not as good as the stuff thats out there, I mean the rap that is underground and not played on the radio all day and night.

After reading through all the hip hop comparisons in the previous reviews, I was surprised that no-one had mentioned how much this sounds like PAVEMENTS first 7" offerings (or the compilation "Westing, by Musket and Sextant") If you like that era PAVEMENT, I think you will like this...this is not an essential album, but will probably be some kids favorite somewhere, and that's always a nice thing....

I love a loose rock group as much as the next guy. Probably more. With their debut Hot Printz, Australia's Bumblebeez 81 are so loose they're slack. But lazy is another story. Most of these 14 songs and/or fragments are based around a good beat, fuzz guitar, raspy vocals, and occasional rapping. It's akin to backporch alternative. Singer Chris Colonna even sounds like grandpa with his teeth out. And it's intermittently fun. "Pony Ride", the single, is genius/stupid with its chorus of "come on ride the pony gotta get it up". "Come Ova" is a cute Pixies rip. Otherwise, the rap is lame. The playing is amateur. And the songs kinda sound the same.