Entertainment, Death Explained

Entertainment, Death
Type:studio
Artist:Spirit of the Beehive
Cover:Entertainment Death.jpg
Released:April 9, 2021
Recorded:April – July 2020
Genre:
Length:36:41
Label:Saddle Creek
Prev Title:Hypnic Jerks
Prev Year:2018

Entertainment, Death (stylized in all capitals) is the fourth studio album by American experimental rock band, Spirit of the Beehive. The album was released on April 9, 2021 through Saddle Creek Records. Two singles were released ahead of the album: "There's Nothing You Can't Do", and "The Server is Immersed", which were met with critical acclaim. The album itself was met with universal critical acclaim, and appeared in numerous end of the year lists.

Background and recording

Writing for the album began during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, and lasted until July 2020. Recording occurred concurrently during this process, and mastering occurred during the fall of 2020 in anticipation of a Spring 2021 release.

Critical reception

Entertainment, Death received critical acclaim by contemporary music critics. On review aggregator, Metacritic, Entertainment, Death has an average critic review of 82 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim based on 6 Critic Reviews". Harrison Baer, writing for Beats Per Minute wrote that "the band’s shape-shifting compositions create a forward momentum well suited to a journey through different levels of Hell on Earth." Baer gave the album an 84 out of 100.[1] Sophie Kemp, writing for Pitchfork, gave the album a "Best New Music" designation, and an 8.3 out of 10 rating. Kemp summarized the album as "reclusive, cryptic, late-night paranoia music. Their oblique songs can evoke an entire landscape of feeling in very few words".[2]

Paul Simpson, writing for Allmusic, gave Entertainment, Death three-and-a-half stars out of five, describing the album as difficult for casual listeners, but rewarding for patient listeners. Simpson said that on Entertainment, Death, The Spirit of the Beehive "make willfully unorthodox music and seem to dare listeners to keep up with them and make sense of their art, but those who make the effort are rewarded by the band's unbridled creativity and warped yet radiant sense of optimism and excitement".

Upon the end of the calendar year, the album was listed in at least nine major music publication's "Best of 2021" album lists. Two publications, Beats Per Minute and Paste, placed Entertainment, Death in the top 10 of their respective lists.

Accolades

Publication! scope="col" class="unsortable"
ListRank
Beats Per MinuteTop 50 Albums of 2021[3]
Exclaim! Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2021[4]
FaderThe Best Albums of 2021[5]
Gaffa Top 20 Albums of 2021[6]
Our Culture The 50 Best Albums of 2021[7]
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2021[8]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2021[9]
Pitchfork The 31 Best Rock Albums of 2021[10]
Spin The 30 Best Albums of 2021[11]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2021[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Baer . Harrison . Album Review: Spirit of the Beehive – Entertainment, Death . Beats Per Minute . December 19, 2021 . April 12, 2021.
  2. Web site: Kemp . Sophie . Spirit of the Beehive: ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH Album Review . Pitchfork . Conde Nast . December 18, 2021 . April 9, 2021.
  3. Web site: Hakimian . Rob . McMullan . Chase . Sentz . Tim . Pickard . Joshua . Wohlmacher . John . Finlayson . Ray . Amen . Josh . Kenny . Mimi . Kohner . Kyle . Johnston . Andy . Early . J.T. . Thomas . Carlo . Reis . Ethan . Fisette . Jeremy J. . Smirnov . Aleksandr . Penna . Grady . Baer . Harrison Suits . BPM's Top 50 Albums of 2021 . . December 18, 2021 . December 16, 2021.
  4. Web site: Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2021 . . December 19, 2021 . December 1, 2021.
  5. Web site: The 50 best albums of 2021 . The Fader . December 18, 2021 . December 14, 2021.
  6. Web site: Årets bästa utländska album 2021 . gaffa.se . December 19, 2021 . Swedish . December 12, 2021.
  7. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2021 . . December 19, 2021 . December 9, 2021.
  8. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2021 . . December 19, 2021 . November 29, 2021.
  9. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2021 . . . December 19, 2021 . December 7, 2021.
  10. Web site: The 31 Best Rock Albums of 2021 . . December 19, 2021 . December 8, 2021.
  11. Web site: The 30 Best Albums of 2021: Our favorite records from another bizarre 12 months — from Tinashe to Turnstile to Tyler, the Creator . . December 19, 2021 . December 13, 2021.
  12. Web site: The 50 Best Albums Of 2021 . . December 19, 2021 . December 6, 2021.