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Dave Dwyer is a singer songwriter who has a pleasant voice and knows how
to put a song together so you can't see the joins. "Outta My
Mind" is soft folk-rock with a good chorus but it needs some work
in order to lift it above the parapet. "Love Don't Get Me
High" follows much the same pattern, and the second guitar helps to
freshen it. Dwyer avoids introspective singer-songwriter hell and
ploughs a furrow that keeps him on the right side of the commercial
track.
- Jackie Hayden HOTPRESS
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Finally, the last of the bunch, Bead, who air once again the noble old
cliché, are by no means least. Bead are - Bead on vocals/acoustic
guitar, Shades on lead guitar/bass and Dave McCune on everything else.
It's just two songs but they're both crackers.
"Monkey with the bloodshot eyes" comes in with a gentle
surfing wah-wah guitar. Then comes the piano, followed by Bead's lovely,
plummy, deep voice. The housey piano on the chorus is perfect.
"Blues Singer" has a warm country feel and features some
excellent lead guitar from Shades with a Stonesy circa Jimmy Miller
piano sound rolling along. Rarely has melancholy sounded so good!
All that's left for me to say about Bead is I would love to hear a
series of albums from them next!
- Kathryn McKinney HOTPRESS
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His mother may not know his stage name but coming in at number 9 we find
Bead. This four-letter phenomenon presented us with a demo brimful of
songwriting ability and production awareness and a smashing live show at
the IMRO heats in Whelan's Bar during the summer months. But where are
you now, Bead?
- Kathryn McKinney HOTPRESS
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Sphyncter Boy were all set to scoop the prestigious 'Name of the Issue'
award when I noticed that, blow me down, it's our old china Bead. So
he's back with a slightly extended line up (Homeboy on lead guitar and
Bead on Vocals/guitar), new name and four new songs. The sound is alot
different however, with Dave McCune supplying bass, percussion and
additional guitar.
"Superman" has a shuffly dance rhythm, grungy guitars, a great
urban alienation lyric and the brilliant "I don't know what you're
talking about sample". Quirky and very interesting. "Fall
Apart" has a more conventional rocky ballad feel to it but its warm
melody, fine lead guitar work and Bead's voice lift it higher.
Mariah Carey may not be looking over her shoulder but Bead has a great,
emotive voice. "My world is black" is a beautifully
manic-depressive ode until it leaps about 10 beats and heads off in
manic country rock style, into the sunset. "You don't have to
worry" is a reggae tinged dollop of sweet but confused optimism.
It's a wonderful song which actually mutates into Bob Marley's 'No
Woman, No Cry' and just about gets away with it. No mean feat I would
say!
Bead's songwriting is coming along in leaps and bounds and the new
fuller sound shows this well. It can't be long now eh?
- Kathryn McKinney HOTPRESS
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