Beat Noir
{{Infobox album
| name = Beat Noir
| type = studio
| artist = Spahn Ranch
| cover = Spahn Ranch - Beat Noir.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1998|10|19}}{{cite journal |first=Becky |last=Barnhart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j8EZAQAAIAAJ |title=Schwann Spectrum |journal=Schwann Spectrum |publisher=Stereophile, Incorporated |date=2000 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=246 |isbn=9781575980782 |accessdate=August 17, 2020}}
| recorded = February – {{Start date|1998|8}}
| venue =
| studio = H & H Productions
{{small|(Mundelein, Illinois)}}
| genre = {{hlist|Electro-industrial|EBM}}
| length = 45:51
| label = Out of Line/Sub/Mission
| producer = Matt Green
| prev_title = Retrofit EP
| prev_year = 1998
| next_title = Anthology 1992-1994
| next_year = 2000
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = studio
| cover = Spahn Ranch - Beat Noir (Cleopatra edition).jpg
| caption = Cleopatra edition cover
}}
}}
Beat Noir is the fourth studio album by Spahn Ranch, released on October 19, 1998 by Out of Line and Sub/Mission Records.{{cite journal|last=gileZ |url=http://cybase23.com/spranch/athan.html |title=Down on the Ranch: An Interview with Athan Maroulis of Spahn Ranch |journal=Cybase23 |date=May 1996 |accessdate=August 17, 2020}} It was reissued on November 24 of that year by Cleopatra Records.{{cite web |first=MacKenzie |last=Wilson |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000007354/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Spahn Ranch > Biography |website=AllMusic |accessdate=August 17, 2020}} The final track "An Exit" was licensed to Cleopatra Records to be released on the various artists compilation The Black Bible in 1998.{{cite web |first=Keith |last=Farley |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000044560|pure_url=yes}}|title=Various Artists: Vampire Themes > Overview |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=August 20, 2020}}
Reception
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000044818|pure_url=yes}}|title=Spahn Ranch: Beat Noir > Overview |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=August 17, 2020}}
}}
AllMusic gave Beat Noir gave two and a half out of five possible stars. Music critic Dave Thompson said "from the infectious opening riff of "Fire Lives in the Hearts of All Men," to the near reverent melodies entwined within the synth structure of "Ride like Lightning Crash like Thunder," a tight, edgy, yet absolutely hummable album that is solid throughout."{{cite book |first=David |last=Thompson |author-link=Dave Thompson (author) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHP-r9-eqdAC |title=Spahn Ranch LPs: Beat Noir (Cleopatra) 1998 |others=Alternative Rock: Third Ear – The Essential Listening Companion |publisher=Miller Freeman, Inc. |date=November 1, 2000 |pages=648–649 |isbn=9780879306076 |accessdate=August 17, 2020}} Ink 19 was negatively critical of the album's misdirected experimentation and claimed that Athan Maroulis' vocal choices were unsuited for the album's genre.{{cite journal|first=Matthew |last=Moyer |url=https://ink19.com/1999/02/magazine/music-reviews/spahn-ranch |title=Spahn Ranch: Beat Noir |journal=Ink 19 |date=February 11, 1999 |accessdate=August 17, 2020}}
Track listing
{{Tracklist
| title1 = Fire Lives in the Hearts of All Men
| writer1 = {{hlist|Matt Green|Eric Powell}}
| length1 = 4:41
| title2 = Remnants
| writer2 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length2 = 5:25
| title3 = Rationale
| writer3 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length3 = 4:38
| title4 = The Warmth of Silence
| writer4 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length4 = 4:38
| title5 = Ride Like Lightning Crash Like Thunder
| writer5 = Green
| length5 = 4:50
| title6 = Dubnosis
| writer6 = Green
| length6 = 4:21
| title7 = The Conversation
| writer7 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length7 = 4:46
| title8 = Test My Reaction
| writer8 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length8 = 4:11
| title9 = Well Charged
| writer9 = Green
| length9 = 4:12
| title10 = An Exit
| writer10 = {{hlist|Green|Maroulis}}
| length10 = 4:10
}}
Accolades
Personnel
Adapted from the Beat Noir liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Beat Noir |title-link=Beat Noir |others=Spahn Ranch |year=1998 |type=boolet |publisher=Out of Line/Sub/Mission |location=Berlin, Germany/Firenze, Italy}}
Spahn Ranch
- Matt Green – programming, keyboards, production, mixing
- Harry Lewis – percussion
- Athan Maroulis – lead vocals
Additional performers
- David J – bass guitar (6, 10)
- Eric Powell – programming (1)
Production and design
- Mick Cripps – design
- Eric Fahlborg – mastering
- Steve Tushar – engineering, mixing
Release history
| class="wikitable"
! Region ! Date ! Label ! Format ! Catalog |
| Germany
|rowspan="2"| 1998 | Out of Line/Sub/Mission |rowspan="2"| CD | OUT 029, cd WHIP047 |
| United States
| CLP 0420 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://music.apple.com/us/album/beat-noir/151037035 Beat Noir] at iTunes
- {{Discogs master |master=29751 |name=Beat Noir |type=album}}
{{Spahn Ranch (band)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Spahn Ranch (band) albums