Review: Beak>, Beak>

In Geoff Barrow's 5-10-15-20...his 30 was Ege Bamyasi! Krautrock! Portishead! Third! Beak's self-titled debut album from Ipecac sounds certainly more at home 197_ than 20__. I Know is a constant, fluid funk beat amongst a taut bass line which rolls up-scale and down-scale. A sheen of organ in the background brings in that sullen trip-hop, also on the grooved, fuzzy walks of Blagdon Lake and the glitchy first half of Ham Green. Ham Green's second half turns sludgy and cathedralic. This wintry, driving comes close to dark metal, but reserved.