Thursday 25 March 2010

Boe Weaver - Boe Weaver (Vu Recrods)


Being a fan of most instrumental music it's always refreshing to hear an instrumental band that have something a little different to bring to the table and not just regurgitating the some ground that Mogwai and co were walking on ten years ago. So when Boe Weaver's weird and wonderful self titled début landed on my floor not so long ago I was a little taken aback at first, possibly because I was expecting a bit more of a standard 'instrumental' release but mainly because I haven't heard music this trippy and psychedelic since I last gave one of my Doors records a spin.

Boe Weaver (a mis-spelling of Boll Weevil?) formed on the Isle of Wight where they still reside in 2008 after they received a brief from the producers of a popular US Tv show. Since then they have continued over the last two years in creating music that resounds around nostalgia yet with a modern spin, their music sounds like it could have easily been the soundtrack to any number of 70's crime drama's which is probably the point as Boe Weaver are working on film soundtracks all over the world . It's projects like these that will keep bands such as Boe Weaver alive and playing music seeing as how radio has always shied away from playing any music without vocals and having obviously found their niche so early on, things are looking very interesting for these guys.

Boe Weaver is a hark back to the past from 60's hippy to 70's funk, 'Let It Die' has an intro I could listen to on repeat all day, a groovy as hell bassline with what sounds like an old school Hammond organ in the background.
A similar essence of funk is portrayed on their first single 'Jellybean' originally released early 2009 this also hits on the funk vibe but there are certain tracks that just totally go off in another direction, such as 'Manhunt Part 2' with synths going wild and the tempo upping from the sort of cool sounds you would hear in a jazz bar to crazy psychadelic nonsense which seems a little out of place but when you consider they play wearing massive animal heads, the crazy parts of the album make a bit more sense.

Boe Weaver's début has come about at a time where everyone is looking for the new 'retro' and shows bold experimentation with a lot of old school tricks of the trade so despite sounding about 40 years old it also sounds very '2010'

Words : Gordon Reid.
Underneath is a mash up video featuring two of their songs.

I Think You Two Should Leave /Green slime mash up! from VU Records on Vimeo.

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