Beast Beast

Iron Maiden's World Slavery Tour was one of the longest and most extensive tours ever undertaken by a rock band. Lasting from August 9, 1984, to July 5, 1985, and visiting such countries as Poland, Austria, Hungry, Yugoslavia, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, England, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Japan, and the U.S., the show included a mammoth setup that replicated the intricate ancient Egyptian scenery of the Powerslave album cover…

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (1978) {Bizzare-Straight R2 70365 rel 1989}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 292 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1978, 1989 Bizzare/Straight Records / Rhino / Warner | R2 70365
Rock / Experimental Rock / Blues Rock / Psychedelic

So titled because the original album, simply titled Bat Chain Puller, had to be ditched and rerecorded after a legal tuzzle involving Frank Zappa's manager, Shiny Beast turned out to be manna from heaven for those feeling Beefheart had lost his way on his two Mercury albums. Then again, what else could be assumed with a song titled "Tropical Hot Dog Night" that sounds like what happened when Beefheart encountered Miami disco and decided to make something of it?

Next Generation of Swing assembles a dozen tracks from the retro-swing movement of the 1990s, tossing in a vintage ringer - Louis Prima's original "Jump, Jive an' Wail" - for good measure. The latter-day material doesn't quite capture the same excitement, although the Brian Setzer Orchestra's "Route 66," Royal Crown Revue's "Datin' with No Dough" and the Mighty Blue Kings' "Jumpin' at the Green Mill" come close.

Preceding Beast Rest Forth Mouth is 2007’s Red Bloom of the Boom, a 7-track, 43-minute exploration that crosses the streams of psychedelia and prog. Pitchfork called it “a true cohesive work in an era when the album-as-art form appears to be slowly dying” (7.8), and The Onion found it “a powerful, functional mix of This Heat, ‘70s soft rock, early Genesis, and oddly, later Pink Floyd.” The album was further informed by a collection of remarkable music videos by the band and their collaborators, providing a mirror into both the creative scope of the Bear In Heaven consciousness, not to mention the day jobs they keep as editors, filmmakers, and designers. The packaging and visuals for Beast Rest Forth Mouth continue in this tradition, the band collaborating with artist Laura Brothers to create the tactile doorway into the sonic swirl of the album.