Search - Earth :: Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull

Compelling Old West style recording

Zombiehor.de | Detroit, Mi | 05/20/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Earth is a band that gets tagged with a lot of descriptions and genres that do not really apply to its current sound. I am constantly reading their music being described as "stoner rock" or "doom metal", which do accurately describe the bands style from many years ago. In more recent times, the band's sound has moved to a more ambient, old west styling, which is the case on the recent album, "The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull".



This album does not quite fall into any sort of true ambient territory, as there are very solid and noticeable musical progressions. This almost seems more like movie soundtrack work than true ambient or background music. The bulk of it is filled with really dense and highly styled guitar washes that invoke a very serious "Wild West" atmosphere. I can't really compare it to Ennio Moriccone's western soundtracks as the music is very different. However, I think "The Bees Made Honey..." could be substituted and used as a soundtrack to many of the great Leone westerns. Instead of lush orchestrations, you have almost a rock sensibility that could be coming from a lone cowboy traveling alone in the desert. Although, this cowboy happens to be carrying around some impressive guitar amps. The sound is not epic in scope, but rather more introspective.



Personally, I look forward to taking a trip out west, and playing this while going through the desert. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the scarce few examples of "western ambient" like A Small, Good Thing or Steve Roach and Roger King's "Dust to Dust". It might also work for people who are really into western movie soundtracks of any type, particularly the recent soundtrack work by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for movies like "The Proposition" or "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"."

The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull

Mick V. Nicholas | Allentown, PA | 02/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a rhythmic, down-beat, ambient experience. Although this description may not sound too much different from Earth's other albums, this one is definitely more focused and much more realized. With special guest performer, Bill Frisell (an avant-garde jazz guitarist) they songs get a bit of a jazz flavor at times. Also, there seems to be some shades of Pink Floyd throughout this release.



It truly is an impressive work and leaves the listener satisfied. Earth fans will love this piece and this album also works as a great starting point for those who are just discovering this band."

Great music, a must own album for music enthusiasts.

ceffalo | 08/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Usually music like this is found in movie soundtracks and the like. I could see this working for a Clint Eastwood western, or perhaps for No Country for Old Men. It's doomy and hypnotic at once. Very psychedelic, too.



But, above all, it's great music. Top notch work by fantastic musician visionaries. I've heard some of Earth's early work and I can say that they've come a long way from their origins.



Originally these fellas were making heavy, droning stuff, very much like the sound you'd get with Nirvana, only played through a terribly oppressive constant drone of sound, instead of a song with a chorus and melody. No, their early work was simply a guitar and bass guitar playing a wall of distorted, doomed, nerve scratching sound.



With this album, "The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull," they've widened their ideas quite a bit. There's a nice drum tempo to square things off. There is more complexity, a development of more instruments to make songs.



And, these songs are worked out perfectly, too. Exacting lengths. Beautiful recording. I'd say that this album is every bit as good as Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" for pure musical enjoyment. It's easily one of the best albums I've ever heard and I just don't get enough of it in my ears.



Trust me. Buy it. And, enjoy."