BEAK> - >>>

Often tagged as Krautrock, or "out-rock" by the band's current record label, BEAK> return with their third album, the aptly titled >>>. Continuing with the live recording method they've stuck to on their last couple albums, >>> sounds unmistakably like BEAK>, but with clearer vocals and a sharper focus on melody.

It's still full of the quirky oddness that makes BEAK> a band that can't really be compared to many artists working today. 'Brean Down' sounds like it could have come from either of the band's earlier albums > or >>. Full of dark percussion and colored with intermittent, dizzy guitar, it acts as both a signature for the band's undefinable yet instantly recognizable sound and a summation of the masses' attitude toward "alternative" music in general. Even one of the lines in the song is "You don't like our music cuz it ain't upon a radio."

Elsewhere, the songs reflect a forwardness in the band's style, both literally and figuratively. 'RSI' is nonstop rolling drums and synths, like a wave rushing out from shore to the horizon. 'King of the Castle' is straightforward guitar rock punctuated by a bright synth, while 'Alle Sauvage' is a slow-builder, composed of shivering electronics and a steady drum pattern to pull it all together into an album highlight. 'Harvester' is another standout with its laid-back drum groove and the ominous drone of strings.

What >>> does best is showcase a unique band still successfully experimenting with their sound while maintaining their core identity as outliers in the current music scene. It's enough to be grateful for from any band.