Mystery Beer Can

MBC On YouTube

Andrew Beeken — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:42:38 +0000

In an attempt to expand my audience online, I’ve opened up a YouTube channel for MBC. You can find it here. At the moment it’s got the whole of Waves to listen to, but I’m hoping on expanding it with some performances as well (if there is an audience!) as using it to test new material before I “properly” record it.

So, check it out, subscribe, all the usual YouTube stuff. Enjoy!

Waves is out!

Andrew Beeken — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:25:54 +0000

I’ve released the Waves EP unto the world! Deviating from previous releases which have hit SoundCloud and AudioFarm, I have chosen to release Waves on BandCamp. You can go here to listen to the full five tracks.

Why BandCamp? Well, I want people to listen to the music. I want people to enjoy the music. But I’m getting more and more serious with Mystery Beer Can. I feel that Waves represents a turning point in my music, a point where I’ve genuinely found a style and I know who Mystery Beer Can is. BandCamp is letting me release Waves… and letting you pay for it.

I sound really cheeky asking that. “Pay for my music”. The truth is, though, what price would you put on independently produced music? Everything you hear here was written and recorded by me, in my home, using readily available tools. The full EP is available to download in a number of flavours for just £1. A single, UK pound. That’s cheaper than my bus fare. Would you pay more? You can if you want to.

Consider this an experiment; how much is this music worth?

I hope you enjoy the tracks; I truly enjoyed recording them (using an iPad, dontcha know – I’ll blog about the process one day) and I’m hoping that I can do a lot more with MBC this year.

Waves – tracklist

Andrew Beeken — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:13:13 +0000

Okay, I’ve been beavering away on and off for the last few weeks with FourTrack on my iPad to get some material down. I’m going to release it as an acoustic EP called Waves sometime next week. For the time being, feast your eyes on this here tracklist…

Fifty Million
Waves
You Are The Empire (I Am A King)
A Wanting Man
Where I Belong

MBC is back in 2011

Andrew Beeken — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:08:55 +0000

Well howdy there – if you’re reading this blog for the first time, welcome; if you’re a regular reader (both of you) surprised by this new update then welcome back!

This is really just a heads up post to say that I’m coming back over the next few weeks with some new releases and a slightly different tact. Suffice it to say I was struggling to find time to record using the setup I had and I was not particularly happy with the quality of the drum beats. So, expect the next few songs to be far more stripped down, focussing more on guitar and vocals. I think this is giving me a little bit more freedom while recording, not having to stick to a specified structure dictated by a pre-programmed beat.

I’m also recording a bit more freely using FourTrack, an excellent little iOS app which means I can effectively take my recording studio with me. I’m working on ways to refine the sound through this as I’m currently only recording using the built in Mic on my iPad, but that’s the joy about recording on my own gear – I can experiment!

Hope you stick with me this year!

Where the Dark Dies

Andrew Beeken — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:53:55 +0000

Not a new track, but this is a new recording of Where the Dark Dies. This was the first track I ever lay down so it’s really nice to hear this in its “Definitive” version. Going a little Billy Corgan on this one; layer upon layer (4 to be exact, fact fans) of guitar with a bit of EBow action thrown in for good measure. I’m very pleased with this track; the lack of drums helps it I think and the echo on the vocals kinda hides the fact that I’m recovering from a sore throat (pity me!) Let me know your thoughts!

In addition, I’m going to set up a page for the “Arms Around my Shell” album which will have the tracks on in the correct order. Also check out the lyrics to “Where the Dark Dies” on the lyrics page.

Arms Around My Shell

Andrew Beeken — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:11:55 +0000

Okay, I’ve decided to put a brief halt on writing for the moment. I’ve got a lot on at work and with my other side project, Short Cut Films and I think this is starting to affect me writing new material. So, my plan is thus: I’m going to record everything I’m happy with so far, a combination of new and old material, and release it gradually throughout 2010. This will form the first album for MBC entitled “Arms Around My Shell”. The tracklist is currently thus:

Where the Dark Dies
Masterpiece
Protest Song
A Place for Hearts to Stay
???
Get Over
The Door
???
???
???
Power Over Me

Those ???’s are as yet unreleased songs, so I’m keeping them under wraps til I release them – then I’ll update the tracklist Masterpiece and Protest are the versions you can currently hear on this site – all other previously released tracks will be re-recorded.

I’m taking a leaf out of Billy Corgan and Ash‘s books by releasing these tracks as and when I record them, dripfeeding them to you. Come the end of the year I’ll try and provide a full collection of MP3′s along with cover art for download.

Protest Song

Andrew Beeken — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:52:47 +0000

Proper new track time. I’m quite pleased with this one – I think it’s fairly catchy, and I’m even dabbling with multiple vocal tracks on this one. Listen below, Audiofarm link on the right for the full archive; you know the drill!

First track for 2010…

Andrew Beeken — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:27:57 +0000

…is one you’ve already heard! Been fiddling with my new computer which is significantly faster than the old laptop I tried for my first recordings, meaning it can easily handle the multi-track recording in Audacity. So, I brought back out my Hydrogen drum track for Masterpiece, fiddled about a bit and – voila. Masterpiece for 2010, recorded closer to how I’d originally wrote it. Compare the two versions and see what you think. The new version, while being a bit more dynamic is unfortunately a bit fuzzy. I’m putting this down to my lack of experience with the kit but, as this is pretty much me hobbying about, I’m sure it’ll come in time. Oh, and I’m also now uploading to Soundcloud as well as Audiofarm, primarily so that I can embed the tracks directly into the blog. Like this:

Enjoy!

Oh, by the way, I’ve also started putting lyrics on the lyrics page. Felt it was only fair you could understand what I’m subjecting you all to

Twenty Fifth

Andrew Beeken — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:36:59 +0000

Hurrah for the first Mystery Beer Can Christmas song! I love Christmas, me, so I felt it fitting that I write a song for the season. With only a couple of days to go, I’ve recorded and uploaded Twenty Fifth for you to listen to on Audiofarm. I’m really pleased with this one; as always, please leave your mark in the comments if you want.

I’ll be back in the New Year…

Four New Ones

Andrew Beeken — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:36:09 +0000

It’s been a while but I’m back with four new tracks for you to listen to and download. Grab them from AudioFarm using the “Released Songs” link. I like these tracks but I’m not 100% happy with the recordings being as I was suffering with a minor cold when I did them! Still, I’m all for rough hewn music, devoid of studio glamour so – there you go!

I’m planning on recording one more track this year which I’m hoping to get out before Christmas. Look out for more Mystery Beer Can in 2010 when I hope to have an extra musician on board to spice things up a little.