Day Ripper
Wild Honey, 2020
10/10
An Italian trio who are just as familiar with pop punk as they are classic rock, this 3rd album from Bee Bee Sea is a blast of energetic and contagious riffs, memorable sing-alongs and syrupy sweet hooks that could remind you of both The Who and Ramones.
“Daily Jobs” starts the listen and makes an immediate impression with its gritty, garage-rock presence as melodic singing aligns with the tuneful guitars and drumming, and “Be Bop Palooza” follows with a firm power-pop presence that’s also friendly with punk in a head bobbin’, toe tappin’ sort of way.
At the midpoint, “Destroy” is a swift and harmonic display of buzzing indie-rock, while “Mheer Sag” is a perfectly executed tune of guitar driven punk rock where the dynamic rhythm section anchors the fun. “Horst Klub”, the quickest tune, then delivers a scrappy vintage rocker wrapped up in a universally embraceable pop formula.
Near the end, “Telephone”, which is primarily instrumental, benefits from bouncy bass lines and swirling psychedelia amid vocal effects, and “Day Ripper” exits the listen with the best track, as precise musicianship unfolds with a hypnotic and punchy prowess that’s drenched in fuzz.
Formerly very much indebted to garage rock, this time around Bee Bee Sea spread their wings with much success as their rock’n’roll template now involves psyche-rock, grooves and no shortage of nostalgic nods to The Beatles, too.
Somehow, these guys are still working days jobs, but with albums like this, worldwide fame should be very close by.
Travels well with: Thee Oh Sees- Live In San Francisco; Buzzcocks- The Way