Customer Reviews

You Turn Me on

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album, though lo-fi purists(?) might disagree, is remarkable...Whilst it IS the most polished of the band's releases, it still has a raw, aggressive cuteness that few cuddle- core bands can ever hope to equal...Godsend is five or six long minutes of the same few notes o'er and over, but lovely...Hey Day is Calvin sounding almost serious, yet amazing still...buy this you fool! Can't you see how cheap it is? Admit it, you were trying to decide between this and the new Belle and Sebastian...do the right thing...

You Turn Me On is Beat Happening's masterpiece, a surprisingly accomplished, pretty, and restrained record that remains one of the definative indie-pop records of all-time. This time around, the guitars are clean, the songs are all hits, the cuteness is still high, and Heather Lewis' lush vocals are given more time along with Calvin Johnson's awful-yet-charming baritone. It would be easy to write off Beat Happening as amaturish or "cutesy," but there's something rather refreshing in their simplicity. The innocence of the lyrics and the hypnotic guitars are so passionate and joyful that it proves this band utilized their strengths to maximum effect and truly believed in their art. Sometimes passion is a stronger tool than the conventionial definitions of "talent." In my mind, Beat Happening were immensely talented, and this record is ample evidence. Be sure to pick this up when it is re-released, or go all-out and purchase the box-set.

Although not as lo-fi (relatively speaking, of course) as previous releases, this nevertheless retains the raw minimalism of the past. Still strumming guitars and not pounding them there is an almost shoegazer sheen to the music that fills the speakers and makes the lack of a heavy bottom a non-entity. The real surprise here,though, is not the playful tunefullness, dare we say, of some of the tracks but the almost wistful girly vocals of Heather Lewis, whose contributions make Beat Happening sound like the countless overseas bands they have influenced. But this is not to sell the rest of the tracks short. The best of the bunch is the 9 minute "Godsend", with its riff repeated ad infinitum, (but what a riff it is)and with its aforementioned vocals from Heather Lewis. Other standouts are "Sleepy Head", the opening, oozing "Tiger Trap", "Pinebox Derby" and the title track. Buy this...if you can find it....