Beat Noir

Beat Noir
Studio album by
Spahn Ranch
ReleasedOctober 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)[1]
RecordedFebruary – August 1998 (1998-08)
StudioH & H Productions
(Mundelein, Illinois)
Genre
Length45:51
LabelOut of Line/Sub/Mission
ProducerMatt Green
Spahn Ranch chronology
Retrofit EP
(1998) 		Beat Noir
(1998) 		Anthology 1992-1994
(2000)
Alternative cover
Cleopatra edition cover
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.[2] It was reissued on November 24 of that year by Cleopatra Records.[3] The final track "An Exit" was licensed to Cleopatra Records to be released on the various artists compilation The Black Bible in 1998.[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]

AllMusic gave Beat Noir gave two and a half out of five possible stars.[5] 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."[6] 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.[7]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fire Lives in the Hearts of All Men"
4:41
2."Remnants"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
5:25
3."Rationale"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
4:38
4."The Warmth of Silence"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
4:38
5."Ride Like Lightning Crash Like Thunder"Green4:50
6."Dubnosis"Green4:21
7."The Conversation"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
4:46
8."Test My Reaction"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
4:11
9."Well Charged"Green4:12
10."An Exit"
  • Green
  • Maroulis
4:10

Accolades

Year Publication Country Accolade Rank
1998 CMJ New Music Monthly United States "Top 25 Dance" 7 [8]
"CMJ Radio 200" 130 [9]
"RPM" 9 [10]
"*" denotes an unordered list.

Personnel

Adapted from the Beat Noir liner notes.[11]

Spahn Ranch

Additional performers

Production and design

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Germany 1998 Out of Line/Sub/Mission CD OUT 029, cd WHIP047
United States Cleopatra CLP 0420

References

  1. ^ Barnhart, Becky (2000). "Schwann Spectrum". Schwann Spectrum. 9 (2). Stereophile, Incorporated: 246. ISBN 9781575980782. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  2. ^ gileZ (May 1996). "Down on the Ranch: An Interview with Athan Maroulis of Spahn Ranch". Cybase23. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Spahn Ranch > Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  4. ^ Farley, Keith. "Various Artists: Vampire Themes > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Spahn Ranch: Beat Noir > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Thompson, David (November 1, 2000). Spahn Ranch LPs: Beat Noir (Cleopatra) 1998. Alternative Rock: Third Ear – The Essential Listening Companion. Miller Freeman, Inc. pp. 648–649. ISBN 9780879306076. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Moyer, Matthew (February 11, 1999). "Spahn Ranch: Beat Noir". Ink 19. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Haslett, Tim (July 1997). "Dance Top 25". CMJ New Music Monthly (47). CMJ Network, Inc.: 50. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  9. ^ Jacks, Kelso (December 28, 1998). "Station Profile: CMJ Radio 200". CMJ New Music Monthly (47). CMJ Network, Inc.: 17. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Jacks, Kelso (December 28, 1998). "Station Profile: RPM". CMJ New Music Monthly (47). CMJ Network, Inc.: 26. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  11. ^ Beat Noir (boolet). Spahn Ranch. Berlin, Germany/Firenze, Italy: Out of Line/Sub/Mission. 1998.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)