Ivan Beecroft will drop a new album November 9. It’s called Whatever, a collection of raw rock and roll emanating elements of post-grunge, punk, post-punk, pop, rock and progressive rock. Ivan’s sound is uncooked and unpretentious, tiptoeing along the brink of the supercharged visceral and gutsy atavism. It’s instinctive, primitive rock and roll.
Ivan describes himself as "A working class bloke who's absolutely fed up with the status quo." He began as a flautist, and then moved to the saxophone, drums and guitar. After playing with a succession of bands, he moved into writing and recording his own material, learning to mix, master and produce music that’s muscularly declarative.
Whatever contains eleven tracks. “Sleepwalker” opens the album with a crunching punk rock melody riding grungy, hefty guitars emanating a nasty, dirty sound that thrums with contagious potency. “Say It To My Face” begins with radiating guitars growing heavily with deep resonance. The melody is a combination of punk and thickly primeval elements, giving the tune a pulsing gut-wrenching essence.
“You Can’t Take My Soul” starts off with crisp, stuttering guitar chords and a solid groove. Ivan’s voice is deep and reflects dark hues. As the punk/grunge melody ramps up, the tune emits an opaque essence of residual dynamism. “Got A Reputation” amalgamates punk and retro rock flavors with a new wave sensibility. The tune rampages on furious guitar chords and the blazing guitar solo sets the atmosphere on fire.
“She Said” combines progressive rock and piano rock flavors into a buoyant melody driven by the piano, and embellished by a quavering, wailing guitar solo rocketing upwards. Ivan’s vocals carry a slightly muted tang. “Believe” delivers a solid groove and a catchy piano rock melody evoking an emergent sound flowing horizontally with gentle hues. “How Do You Sleep At Night” offers a progressive rock essence conveyed on streaming synths and straight-from-the-pocket rhythm.
“Broken Wing” slows things down, mirroring a soft, gentle almost rhapsodic progressive rock melody, along with shimmering background vocal harmonies pulsing with a transient quality that’s effective. Ivan’s voice reflects a warm tenderness that’s evocative; and there’s a clear, innovative guitar solo that’s simply stellar. “Ordinary Man” is another mellow progressive rock song, dreamy and a bit psychedelic. It reminds me of Pink Floyd in the way it drifts and undulates.
“Lost Child” begins with translucent guitars and a flowing synth, providing an orchestral feel. This tune reminds me of an Ozzy Osborne piece, with its cascading melody and Ivan’s voice, which carries a reedy resonance. “One Last Goodbye” supplies a radiant progressive rock melody rife with fluent strings adding a smooth texture. This might be my favorite song on the album because of the proximate, expansive strings.
On Whatever, Ivan Beecroft delivers powerful primitive rock and deliciously glistening progressive rock. The melodies are memorable and contagious, and Ivan’s voice provides a distinctive sinuous touch with ripe sonority ensconced in rasping tones. Whatever is a strong album deserving of your attention.