Search - Bicycle :: Bicycle

Bicycle, the sonic art project of Kurt Liebert, shows that this Seattle musician is not only the heir apparent of Beck, but can also claim lineage to the Beatles, Husker Du, and Pink Floyd. Liebert fuses less obvious elements of hip-hop, guitar rock, aggro pop, and psychedelia, transmuting all the disparate elements into a compelling listen that veers just this side of a novelty record. Recorded in his basement on an eight-track, Liebert recorded Bicycle almost totally solo, with former Presidents of the United States of America frontman Chris Ballew producing 5 of the 14 tracks and providing background assistance on another. Liebert shows Beck-like attention to eccentric rhythms and well-chosen samples, and has a similar absurdist view of the modern world; the latter is evident in run-on musical monologues and sly observations that are odd enough to rival those of Jonathan Richman. --Jaan Uhelszki