Tag Archives: Sweet Beef Agency

Album Review – Ricky – What’s The Point

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Five men sitting on a bench seat and looking toward the viewer. They are al casually dressed.

Having just heard about this band for the first time courtesy of Mike at Sweet Beef Agency I did not know what to expect when I starting listening to this album.  After having run through it several time now I have to say…this was one very interesting listening experience.   Although Ricky comes tagged as slacker rock there is more depth and thoughtful musical composition than that genre often delivers. 

This set opens up with “Room” which has a haunted lullaby groove especially for the first 1:10 or so.  It also feels a bit somber and has a slightly disconcerting but also charming melody loop that grew on me the more I listened to it.  “Call In Sick” is much different, coming in with a strong vocal and powerful rhythm section that drives this one all the way through to the end.  There is also a brief but smartly placed bridge that gives this track just a little bit of needed breathing room.  Following along is “Don’t Matter” (cool guitar sounds swirling around a punchy drum beat) and “Nothin Goin On” (entrancing, swaying rhythm that spirals out at the end into a bizarre sonic atmosphere).  

Next up is “Cool Guy” and the star here for me is the bass line along with a  wavering guitar hook that draws you into a buzzy atmosphere.  It gave me kind of a fever dream feeling especially with the repetitive “famous and rich” mantra that pops up throughout the song.  “Walk” (a boppin’ down the street runner) is followed by the title track which comes crashing in before quickly settling down to a mystical, hypnotic loop.  The eighth song “SD Dying” is my favorite on this album and it jumps right off on a great vocal with jamming guitar vibes.  The rhythm section is persistent and insistent throughout this tune and there are some interesting pacing changes along the way.  It is a rocker with a twist.

“Don’t Get It” is followed by “Beautiful Day” and something about the guitar intro makes this one feel grand right from go.  It manages to keep that majestic vibe even with a contrary set of lyrics which makes for a fascinating contrast.  The final track is “CCR” which is a solid ending for this set.  It has that slacker rock groove and feel but also layers in some cool effects, a compelling arrangement and just a few unexpected moments.  

This album is a great listen all the way through and offers up a mixture of psychedelic, slacker and alternative rock but with some new twists and a unique presentation.  

As I always have to do just a little more digging around…there are some other prior offerings available at the link below – I especially enjoyed Palm Trees.

https://rickysmusic.bandcamp.com/music

This is out now courtesy of DHCR Records

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Video for the title track here on YouTube:

Order this now right here:

https://dhcrrecords.com/store-1/p/ricky-whatsthepoint-vinyl

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/ricky.the.band/

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Album Review- Berang – Does It Ever Get Better?

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A black and white image of a man standing against a floral print wall. He is dressed casually and playing an acoustic guitar.

Photo by Jess Jacob / Album artwork by Jolien Wilke

I had a pretty cool moment on a recent Tuesday when Mike from Sweet Beef Agency in San Diego reached out to me with a chance to preview this album (which has since been released on 01.30…no waiting for you if you want to check it out right away).  As this was a new artist to me the brief bio Mike included on Berang was a big help.  This is a solo project of Belgian singer-songwriter Bert Janssens who “plays heartfelt indie folk with a punk soul.”  That sounded like an interesting combination to explore so away I went on several run throughs of this release.

There is a definite folk music heart to all of the songs on Does It Ever Get Better?  Even when the tempos are up a bit you can feel it coming through.  The lead-off track “The Least Fortunate Timeline” has an eerie, almost mystical first twenty seconds before a yearning vocal cuts in over electrical guitar.  Drums soon follow and this one runs on a pretty punchy rhythm the remainder of the way with just a few pauses that almost seem like moments of reflection.  

The next two tracks, “Specific Ways of Being” (a boisterous number that fits right into the alt-rock genre) and “Valère” (heavier guitar tone here and pointed lyrics…and those drums are awesome!) lead you to “Don’t Keep Your Soul So Close.”   This song is a change of gears that steps down the volume considerably and simplifies the instrumentation.  I think it plays well in this spot on the set list and hands off well to “You’ll Be Alright,” which is a softer tune also and has a light, charming melody.  Standby for a bit of a ten second cosmic breakdown though around the 2:40 mark…a super interesting moment you are going to have to listen to for yourself to understand.  

The second half of the album kicks off with the title track which comes in with a bit of a punky edge and then runs in a pop-rock groove the rest of the way.  There is a nice little harmonica moment on this one also and overall it is one of those songs that sticks with you after listening.  Next up is “Safe and Satisfied” (a breathy ballad focused around a soft, looping acoustic guitar melody) followed by “A Form of Encouragement” (an infectious, guitar-charged number that I took positive energy from…although I have not quite figured out if it is intended that way…I’ll keep listening).    

Next up is “Fair Winds and Following Seas” a track with a dual-personalty that I think is great and which makes it my favorite on the album.  This is very much a simple folk song for the first 1:36, slow tempo and a poignant, heavy guitar sound with heartfelt vocals.  It can kind of lull you into a dreamy world which is swiftly turned around via a short bridge (distorted guitar and thundering drums) that transforms the music.  The second half of this song comes out fast and loud, overlaid by a buzzy, warm bass line.   A very cool example of how you can use song arrangement and composition to achieve a unique result and a great song.  The album closes out with “Support Of Any Kind” which is a pretty straightforward alt-rocker with some nice guitar moments added in.  It serves as a nice coda, echoing the general groove of the album while adding a touch of nostalgia and hope. 

This album is a noteworthy release and one that I think you will enjoy if you give it a listen.  Berang is clearly an artist with a lot of “real person performing meaningful music with conviction” running through his veins.  I will be keeping my ears open going forward.  

If you have an extra hour to check it out there is a video on YouTube of a live stream with Berang – pretty cool to watch.  It is definitely a solid singer-songwriter set and the sincerity as he performs is notable.  You can even see and hear some of the “punk spirit” referenced at the top of this review.  The video also includes some backstory for songs on Does It Ever Get Better?

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Additional musicians on this: David Van den Bosch (drums) and Maarten Iterbeke (bass)

You can purchase this now right here:

https://berang.bandcamp.com/album/does-it-ever-get-better

Please let me know your opinion also in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/berang_music/

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂