Album Review: Bee Bee Sea – Day Ripper

I’m not sure how Italy’s Bee Bee Sea have not crossed my path, or how they avoided angry letters from a certain broadcasting corporation, but neither of these things have happened… until now. For the benefit of those wondering, the name Bee Bee Sea is an insult, a term meaning ‘loser’, or at least according to the Urban Dictionary it is, a theme that’s resonated with some of the best rock ‘n roll bands, from Johnny Thunders and Motörhead to Social Distortion and L7, and at their heart Bee Bee Sea are a rock ‘n roll band, at least in attitude; “Nobody gives a shit about what we do, but we’re still doing it, and we’re still playing everywhere. I hope Day Ripper might inspire those who want to play music, but they’re not in the right place. We’re a rock & roll band, and we always will be.”

Bee Bee Sea have now been together for a decade, the band formed in the small Italian town of Castel Goffredo back in saner times, they have previously released two full length albums, 2015’s self titled debut and 2017’s “Sonic Boomerang“, and developed a reputation as an unmissable live act. Now the band are set to release their third full length “Day Ripper” on the 9th October via Wild Honey Records. The album cover and title might be tipping it’s hat to The Beatles but that’s pretty much where the similarity ends. Bee Bee Sea pump out high energy garage rock that’s delivered with a veneer of indie cool, the resulting sound lies somewhere between The Buzzcocks, The Wannadies, Mind Spiders and The Hives.

From the get go infectious riffs riddled with tempo changes populate the “Day Ripper“, with each track carrying it’s own signature, from the jagged garage punk of ‘Daily Jobs‘, Destroy‘, ‘Telephone‘ and ‘Gonna Get Me‘ through the poppy glam tinged ‘Be Pop Palooza‘ and ‘Mheer Sag‘ to the upbeat manic indie pop of ‘Horst Klub‘ and ‘Guacamole‘. All would be well and good with that combination but two tracks stand out, the epic fuzzed out ‘Drags Me Down‘ and the album’s unhinged title track, the latter of which brings “Day Ripper” to a an intense climax, it is also blessed with the best off key Beatlesque harmonies and tumble down ending you could wish for, something that reminds you of what the album hinted at just over half an hour ago. Don’t change the channel.

“Day Ripper” can pre-ordered on limited run marble vinyl, CD and digital formats via Wild Honey Records here