We’ve been teasing this thing since the end of last year, got to hear it super early, teased it some more with our interview with BEDTIMEMAGIC’s resident player of Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Banjo, Synths, Piano, Drum Machine, Melodica, Harmonica and Slide Whistle (Yes, Slide Whistle) Nicholas Pentabona (Back in January! Read it here!), then sat back for a little as the promo cycle revved up. Following a killer listening party over at The Bridge And The Sound studios where Lie Down With Dogs was mostly recorded with Alex Allinson (3 tracks got the Alex Garcia-Rivera treatment over at Mystic Valley Studio) and about a week or so out from release we’re finally ready to share some thoughts on the 4th full-length from Boston’s own BEDTIMEMAGIC.
First things first, there is no one in the current Boston market that sounds like BEDTIMEMAGIC. Hell, there’s no one in the New England/Boston area with a stage presence like BEDTIMEMAGIC either! Can you name us another outfit wearing matching unitards on stage as part of their show? You can’t! But back to the sound! Nation-wide, Chat Pile comes to mind. So does Unsane. With a little of the Goes Cube bombast to boot. But really, though, BEDTIMEMAGIC is a genre unto itself.
Starting us off, “Doze(r)” is one of those songs that goes through so many movements in a relatively short period of time. It’s five and a half minutes of BEDTIMEMAGIC signature sonic madness but could easily be something found on Kyuss’ third long player. You know the one we mean. The one with 3 epic tracks. “Cuddle Buddies” follows and is pure bombastic bliss. Morgan Berns (Drums! Percussion! Vocals! Synths! Organ! Glockenspiel! Tambourine! And yes, Slide Whistle!) displays a percussive prowess throughout this one and all over LDWD while Pentabona barks vocally and beats your senses silly with those revved up Bass tones.
“Dreams (And The People Who Love Them)” is a feverish few minutes of start/stop fury and “The Slumber Party (Part II) is the sequel you never knew you needed to 2024’s aptly titled “The Slumber Party (Part I)” giving you Die Harder to Part I’s fight in Nakatomi Plaza. Then there’s “Can’t Get Up” which is your next alarm tone. Seriously, it’s built off THE most worst sound in the world (Performed by Allinson) and once you hear it, you’ll never be able to unhear it. Luckily, BEDTIMEMAGIC have a way about them and make it at least tolerable with the way they cleverly integrate that Satanic sound into their own sonic stew. Lightening the mood ever so slightly, “Narcoleptic” is a little more loose, a little more laid back but no less abrasive (In a good way).
Lead single “Aroused” was, and still is, the perfect intro to not only LDWD but also the BTM world and goes back to a question we asked Pentabona back in our interview about the “ultimate/gateway BEDTIMEMAGIC track” and by golly, we think we’ve found it with this one! “Morning Wood” tackles one of our least favorite pet peeves (Does anyone really have a favorite pet peeve, though??) and one that happened to us just ahead of finishing this edit on our way to some scheduled maintenance on the RNRF mobile: When you’re stuck in traffic and finally get through it only to find the reason for it all was… nothing?!?!? Oh, and this one has those Slide Whistles in case you needed another reason to love the band!
“Nap Quest” features Miracle Blood’s Andrew Wong switching up his normal style for a subdued spoken word performance here which is offset by a cacophonous musical maelstrom from Berns and Pentabona while the next three tracks barely make up four and a half minutes of music yet are all distinct destroyers of your earholes with “100% Down Filling” providing a rambunctuous riot, “Partially Fatigued” bringing the beats and frenetic fun and “Drift Off” features Cherubs’ Kevin Whitley accompanying Pentabona for a rumbler and a tumbler that culminates by devolving into a hypnotic chorus. Rounding out the 4th BTM LP, “May Cause Drowsiness” is a slow build that goes from 0 to 90 in an instant then fades back away. Just like BEDTIMEMAGIC do on the regular.
Lie Down With Dogs gets down with YOU on July 31st (According to Bandcamp at least) with vinyl coming through The Ghost Is Clear Records. Pre-orders for the vinyl are up now and you can get yours now by heading here or if you prefer digital to physical you can hit the stream below. Live-wise, the band will next be in Providence on August 9th as part of a Parking Lot Mega Show at The Scurvy Dog which also features Black Helicopter, Magic Thinking Ape, Gripe, The Cherry Fog and a whole ton of others (More deets, full lineup and set times available here) and then closer to home in Somerville on September 9th at The Rockwell with Mr. PHYLZZZ, Magic Thinking Ape and a secret opener (Tix for that can be found here). Still want more from BEDTIMEMAGIC??? Well, the interwebs has you covered with the band socials here or here.