Bedhead (band)
Bedhead | |
---|---|
Origin | Dallas, Texas , United States |
Genres | |
Years active | 1991 | –1998
Labels |
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Past members | Matt Kadane Bubba Kadane Tench Coxe Kris Wheat Trini Martinez |
Website | Bedhead Official |
Bedhead was an American
In 1999, a year after the breakup of Bedhead, Matt and Bubba Kadane went on to form The New Year, a band with a style similar to Bedhead's.[1]
History
Founding
The roots of the band trace back to brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane playing music together as children in
WhatFunLifeWas (1994)
In 1993 the band came to the attention of
Sputnik Music stated that the album's themes touch on loss and depression, "but with a sense of the profound. WhatFunLifeWas is a modest album; slow indie rock with a hint of the epic, that draws upon its broodiness to create a serenely personal atmosphere."
They released two EPs before their second full-length, Beheaded. The first EP was a live recording taken on March 31, 1994, titled 4songCDEP19:10. The group launched its first expansive tour in the middle of 1995, and released the EP The Dark Ages in February 1996.[1]
Beheaded (1996)
Their second LP Beheaded was released on Trance Syndicate on October 24, 1996.[1] Beheaded received 4/5 stars from Allmusic,[9] with a positive review stating, "at the heart of the band is an indie rock sound that can be traced back to the most pleasant material of the Velvet Underground. A trio of guitars lays down unexceptional, strummed accompaniments; vocalists employ a reserved sing-speak; the drummer maintains a lazy pulse. However, with Bedhead these elements are so perfectly executed that the music seems to play itself. Beheaded represents another stop on the road to slow-burning, soaring, indie rock/pop perfection."[9]
Transaction de Novo (1998)
Their last LP, Transaction de Novo, was recorded by Steve Albini and released in 1998. In a departure from their usual sound, Transaction De Novo featured more up-tempo, heavily distorted songs than its predecessors.[10][11] Transaction de Novo received 4.5/5 stars from Allmusic,[3] with a positive review stating "It's hard to imagine the group perfecting this sound much further."[3] The album received a perfect 5/5 score from Tiny Mix Tapes.[4]
After Bedhead
Bedhead broke up shortly after the release of Transaction De Novo, in 1998. After their breakup, the "Lepidoptera/Leper" 10" single was released in October 1998 on Trance Syndicate. This was followed by Macha Loved Bedhead, on April 25, 2000: a collaboration between the Kadane Brothers and Macha released on Jetset Records.[1] After the band ended, guitarist Tench Coxe went on to earn a PhD in Russian Literature from Columbia University.[12]
- The New Year and Overseas
The Kadane brothers went on to form
Musical style and influences
Bedhead's music was generally subdued, with a polyphonic sound based on the interlocking of single-line melodies played by three
According to
The group's vocals were often delivered in such a low key manner that they could be difficult to decipher.[11] This unusual sound was dubbed by some critics as "slo-core," referring to the slow tempos of many of the band's songs, though the band's members objected to the labeling in interviews.[citation needed] In reality, many of the group's songs only begin slow before building in speed, intensity and volume. Bedhead also experimented with time signatures less commonly used in rock music, by playing some songs in 7/8 or 5/4 meter.[citation needed]
Members
- Matt Kadane – guitar, vocals (1991–1998)
- Bubba Kadane – guitar, vocals (1991–1998)
- Tench Coxe – guitar (1991–1998)
- Kris Wheat – bass guitar (1991–1998)
- Trini Martinez – drums (1991–1998)
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album title | Release details |
---|---|---|
1994 | WhatFunLifeWas |
|
1996 | Beheaded |
|
1998 | Transaction de Novo |
|
2014 | 1992–1998 (box set) |
|
2015 | Live 1998 (live album, LP edition titled Live In Chicago) |
|
EPs
Year | Album title | Release details |
---|---|---|
1994 | 4songEP19:10 (live EP) |
|
1996 | The Dark Ages |
|
2000 | Macha Loved Bedhead (with Macha) |
|
Singles
Year | Title | Release | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | "Bedside Table/Living Well" | 2 song single | Direct Hit Records |
1993 | "The Rest of the Day/I'm Not Here" | ||
1998 | "Lepidoptera/Leper" | Trance Syndicate, Oct 20, 1998 |
Compilations
- 1995: Cinco Anos compilation (Trance Syndicate) - track "The Dark Ages"
Unreleased
- 1995: Untitled Collection of Jazz Standards (Leaning House)[14][15][16][17]
Covers
Yr | Song | Covering artist(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | "Bedside Table" | Adem Ilhan | Domino Records |
Further reading
- Bedhead Biography at Allmusic
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j
Ankeny, Jason. "Bedhead Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b "Bedhead: Cardiff". Brainwashed. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b c d
Bush, Nathan (February 1998). "Bedhead Review: Transaction de Novo". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b "Bedhead - Transaction De Novo - Music Review - Tiny Mix Tapes". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ^ theguardian.com. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Bedhead: Milk". Brainwashed. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b Cooper, Kane (August 7, 2009). "Review: WhatFunLifeWas". Sputnik Music. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b
Raggett, Ned (1994). "Bedhead Review: What Fun Life Was". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b
Bush, Nathan (October 1996). "Bedhead Review: Beheaded". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- Salon. February 18, 1998. Archived from the originalon 2011-01-30. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ a b "Music Reviews: Vol 17, Issue 24". The Austin Chronicle. 1997. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ "Musicians with PhD's - Division by Zero". Division by Zero. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- ^ Thomas, Fred (2013-06-11). "Overseas - Overseas : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
- ^ Wilonksy, Robert (May 16, 1996). "Rhyme and Reason". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ Wilonksy, Robert (August 6, 1998). "Putting It To Bed". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ Wilonksy, Robert (March 14, 1996). "Stabbed in the redneck". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ^ Wilonksy, Robert (November 23, 1995). "Red Hot". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2014-05-16.