The American electronic band, Glass Candy, from Portland, Oregon formed in 1996 and includes Ida No on vocals and Johnny Jewel as guitarist, synthesist, and general producer. B/E/A/T/B/O/X is their second studio album on the subsidiary label, Italians Do It Better, under Troubleman Unlimited Records, based out of Bayonne, New Jersey. Both No and Jewel are linked to another Portland musical act, the Chromatics.
Introduction to B/E/A/T/B/O/X
All of the tracks on B/E/A/T/B/O/X are produced with the sole use of basic analog equipment without computers. The album literally begins with an unnecessary track titled, “Introduction,” which features No as an enthusiastic aerobics instructor giving a speech about rhythm. This leads to track two, “Beatific,” which is a poetic assembly of blissful lyrics about, “Now things are new but tomorrow age dissolves the sheen / From beatific visions of horror and lovely things.”
“Etheric Device” is the third orchestrated track on B/E/A/T/B/O/X and with it, it brings more decorative composition exploring the depths of observation and season. This is followed by the ecstatic and eerie “Candy Castle.” Aside from its sweetly titled connotation, “Candy Castle,” is outwardly proof of No's substantial intellect with lines such as, “But my bones are in my body / Not in my grave / Turns out I am free and I pretend to be a slave.”
Rolling Down Hills after Sundown and Computer Love
“1,2,3,4,” begins the horn backed, Motown reminiscent, “Rolling Down the Hills.” This track is sure to get you up on your feet and “Life after Sundown” is no exception to that statement. Utilizing similar sythesized percussion as Passion Pit's, “I've Got Your Number,” Glass Candy describes a haunting tale of nighttime, death, and being alone. “Life after Sundown” could easily be heard as the signature song for such series as Tales from the Crypt and/or The Twilight Zone.
Glass Candy then covers the German electronic band, Kraftwerk's 1981 song, “Computer Love,” with B/E/A/T/B/O/X's seventh track. With its catchy melody, “Computer Love” has also been sampled by the likes of Coldplay for their song titled, “Talk” off of their 2005 album, X&Y. Its simplistic lyrics make for a memorable and captivating song.
Quirky and Innovative Ending
Glass Candy completes their second studio album with an instrumental macabre of a track titled, “Last Night I Met a Costume.” Following this confusing, but fantastic association, “Digital Versicolor” serves up a lesson in colorful sound redundantly proclaiming, “This is violet / This is violet...” sustained by six minutes of an otherwise annoying synth and steadfast beat. This avant-garde track was utilized in the feature length film, Bronson.
Glass Candy is currently on tour in Canada and Europe. Tour dates can be found on their Myspace Music page as well as additional information regarding the duo.
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