Beans is a 5-piece psychedelic rock band from Geelong, Australia, which I happened upon when browsing my Apple Music recommendations tonight. The band used to be called Baked Beans based on a review I’m seeing on TheFireNote.com, and it seems the name change occurred some time after their debut album, Babble (2018), was released, based on that album’s artwork. This album, All Together Now (2020), is the group’s second album, and from what I’m seeing the sound is that of classic psych rock from the 1970s based on the review from TheFireNote.com and from comments on the album’s Bandcamp page. Their record label describes their sound as “organ driven garage psych that’ll burn the roof of your mouth”, which has me getting pretty excited to give this album a listen. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
Holy smokes, “Montgomery” gets grooving almost right away with some super groovy combinations of guitar chords backed by organs that harken back to the days of Electric Light Orchestra. Oh wow, the soundscape seems to gradually descend further into a groovy psychedelic track. Wow, this track evokes the prime days of mid-1970s psychedelic rock, and I’m really digging the experience so far. Oh wow, the guitar work is super groovy as it seems to continually groove along while the drums and bass step behind it. Holy smokes. The sound of the 1970s in this track is absolutely uncanny. Holy smokes, the jams in this track seem to continually build in a seemingly increasingly psychedelic way. Awesome track, and I’m excited to hear more.
“Stride” gets started with an interesting mixture of a sort of squishy electric guitar tone reminiscent of Squeeze, while an acoustic guitar seems to add a rhythmic strumming in the background alongside the drums and bass that seem continually walk the tune forward. I’m reminded a bit of both XTC and Squeeze in this track so far. Holy smokes, the classic rock guitar-sounding solo is super groovy as the other instruments seem to gradually ooze psychedelic flavors. I’m really digging the organs/synths that seem to gently introducing a dream-inducing backdrop to the soundscape. Holy smokes, all of the instruments really walk in line with one another really nicely, with the different guitars and the organs all seemingly accentuating one another. Oh wow, the track changes up a bit into a sort of easy groove that the gives the band some space to build up some psychedelic jams. Oh wow, I’m also reminded a bit of Boston (the band) in this track. I really dig the mellow fade out of the tune. Wow, great track.
Oh wow, “Avalon Speedway” starts out with some notes from an organ and I think a guitar as well before dropping into a speedy groove that has a sort of early 1970s classic rock sound that verges slightly into hard rock territory. Oh wow, I really dig the quick, staccato’d notes from one of the electric guitars, almost sounding like the gradual ticking of a roller coaster right as you approach the top of the hill. Holy smokes, the band launches into a super groovy psychedelic jam that I’m really digging, which seems to combine some classic, organ-filled psych rock flavors of the late 1960s with some classic rock grooves of the mid 1970s. Wow, great track.
Holy smokes, “Melt” begins with a really interesting vocal harmonization somewhat reminiscent of The Beatles circa 1966-1967. Oh wow, the instrumentation has a really interesting melting psychedelic pop rock feel that reminds me of something like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard meets early 1970s psych-laced rock and roll, and I’m really digging the sound. Oh wow, the chords that come in as the chorus vocals come in remind me a lot of the Grateful Dead’s renditions of “Morning Dew”. Holy smokes, the band builds up to a super groovy, flowingly melting psychedelic jam that has some modern sensibilities baked into that 1970s sort of style that’s been present throughout the listening experience thus far. Holy smokes, this jam keeps on giving. I’m really digging the drums and bass in this track, which keep the rhythm feeling really dynamic as the different guitars and organs all seem to gradually melt together. Oh wow, the final chords of the song resolve in a really sweet way. Great track.
Oh wow, “Get It Right” gets grooving with an almost dark-sounding hard rock style that almost reminds me of Black Sabbath in the guitar work, but I’m also reminded a bit of The Doors meets early-to-mid 1970s hard rock. Oh wow, the track seems to continually build on itself with increasingly modern flavors that reminds me a bit of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Oh wow, I’m really digging the organs behind the dark, distorted guitar at the end of the track. Great tune.
“Repeat” gets grooving right where the previous tune left off in a nearly seamless segue with some dark-sounding distorted guitar. Holy smokes, the soundscape changed up as the dark guitars are replaced by a more upbeat feeling, mellow groove reminiscent of rock from the late 1970s. Holy smokes, I’m really digging the bass line in this track. Oh wow, the dark guitars seem to come back at a few points in the track but are almost recontextualized into something not quite as dark. Great track.
“Ain’t It” gets grooving after an interesting intro riff that has some strong sounds reminiscent of the mid 1970s. Oh wow, I really dig the brightness and almost wet sound of the organs behind the distorted guitar work during the chorus. Oh wow, the organs almost have a deeper synth-like sound during the jam at the end of the track. Super sweet tune.
“Street Troll” gets started with some strong guitar chords that ring out nicely while a sturdy drum beat with a particular mid-to-late 1970s sound get the tune moving forward. Holy smokes, the tune almost wanders in early 1980s territory with some jams that take on what sound to be some new wave qualities. Holy smokes, the track changes up a ton; after a brief moment of silence, you’re greeted by super groovy, big waves of distortion that almost seem to tease a bit at surf rock at times with the tremolo effect. Super sweet track.
“Lay It Out” starts with some super sweet, quick guitar work that launches the track into a sort of building, somewhat chaotic, psychedelic jam with a lot of conclusory feeling as the band is beginning to wrap up the album. Oh wow, I really dig the way to the vocals and bass are left alone to seemingly bubble up tension for a moment as things continue to be wrapped up. Holy smokes, the band drops into a super groovy final jam after a guitar note hangs out to wrap things together. Oh wow, I really dig the swirling organs that come in behind the somewhat dark, distorted guitar work in the final jam. Super groovy track, and a great way to finish the album.
Holy smokes, this album is super groovy. I’m certainly not from the 1970s, but you could make the case for this album if you were to try to convince someone familiar with rock/psych rock from that decade of the album having been made in the 1970s. The combinations of different sounds from the 1970s, ranging from psychedelic rock to hard rock, and even to new wave, give an impression of strong nostalgia for that decade of music. With that said, there were some modern sensibilities with some of the jams and arrangement that did remind me a bit of modern groups like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (which also happens to be another Australian band). If you’re into rock music, be it psychedelic rock, hard rock, or another such popular rock genre from that decade, then you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, then I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A