For the uninitiated, Bee Mick See is pretty much the greatest (potentially only) hip hop artist to come out of Northern Ireland, ever. Although, technically, we can’t claim him all for ourselves, the Portland, Oregon born Brendan Seamus has lived in Belfast for over 10 years and after struggling with the culture shock that comes with moving from a ‘hipster mecca’ to an ‘urban jungle’ he can finally call it his home.
If you know Bee Mick See at all, you’ll probably have heard Belfast Slang before. In fact, you’ll probably have had a singalong to it with all your friends at the end of a house party, downing shots of bucky and wearing massive fur coats over your trackies a la Macklemore. As first tracks of albums go, this tune is spot on, a tongue in cheek lesson in Belfast slang makes you feel right at home (assuming you’re from Belfast) while taking the piss in true Bee Mick See Style. However, Awkward takes us on a more musical journey through the hardships of growing up, with a boomingly catchy chorus courtesy of Kev Jones from Empty Lungs. With some screeching guitars, this tune is rockier than previous Bee Mick See tunes, and the repetitive lyrics mean you’ll be singing it for days.
MC Lars and Tribe One add some transatlantic flavour to Stress, an ode to escaping technology and the pressures of modern life. This is a really interesting tune and through the help of the US accents juxtaposed with Bee’s thick NI accent over frenzied lounge piano (if that’s possible) this song almost makes me feel a bit nervous and stressed myself. But in a good way, obviously.
Full of great, quotable lyrics such as “I’m about as cool as a boiling kettle”, “I am hip like a kneecap / Fragile like a Nokia keypad” and “I can’t find God, so albums are Bibles” Music starts off as an uplifting tune and then takes a turn for the weird as the lyrics “If music had a hole I’d stick my wab in it” is melodically, beautifully sung in harmony. The impact reminds me of Don’t Marry Her by the Beautiful South. We all know Bee Mick See loves music, but is this a bit far? Probably not far enough, to be honest.
Ciara Donelly features quite a bit on this album, and Potential is one of my favourite tracks over all. It’s a real stand-up tune in its own right, partially thanks to Donelly’s haunting vocals. This is something a bit different, with loads of brass, slow drums, and a definite Pocket Billiards style finish (who happen to play all of the brass on the album). In contrast, Alphabetic Blocks takes a turn for the EDM with a trance, dance influenced beat and once again, Bee seamlessly takes definitive NI culture and plays it off against more American influences. The punchy intro: “I listen to Bee Mick See more than I listen to my ma” is simply gold. Also the backing beat makes this sound a lot like some kind of computer game boss level which is always a bonus.
It’s at this point that The Belfast Yank takes a turn for the thoughtful. Fear is a Gift is still filled with Bee’s signature tongue in cheek lyrics, but the tinkling piano, group vocals and hand claps give this the feeling of a Macklemore track, sort of bridging the gap between hip hop and something a bit more universal. Juxtaposed to this is Love, which despite its name is about a break-up. Ciara Donelly is back to give this track more depth and you can really feel these two battling it out. Donnelley’s voice is the perfect opposite of Bee’s raspy vocals, playing their voices as well as their vocals off each other makes this a great track.
We Took a Dive is basically a mini-explanation of Bee Mick See’s entire story, and again, you’ll probably have heard this tune before. It’s one of my all time favourite Bee songs, with a killer chorus, and a bit of a Fresh Prince of Bel Air feel. Next up, Roysta lends a hand for Death, in what he claims is his last song as his off the wall alter-ego. At first, Roysta’s rough voice is jarring against the upbeat backing, but the more you listen to it, the more genius this mix is.
As the last tune on the album, Natural Scents seems like an odd choice to me. MC Lars is back with the ‘California Belfast connection’ in a rampage against chemicals and aerosols. Yes, deodorant (Bee Mick See is addressing the important issues here). But as they rage against the frivolity of popular culture, there’s a real message here, “BO spray won’t get you girls, Clearasil cream won’t get your girls, confidence gets you girls, persistence gets you girls”. In fact, the more I hear it, the more I like it.
The Belfast Yank is basically the essence of Bee Mick See in one record. Listen to this and you’re a little bit closer to understanding exactly what this man is all about. From the name and the artwork to the subject matter and featured artists on the songs, this album captures the (sometimes) hilarious polarities of being an American Irishman in one dangerously listenable package. Bravo Bee Mick See, never give up!
The album is being released at The Bar With No Name on the 21st March with a little help from Lethal Dialect, Goldie Fawn and Freaks, with a DJ set from Pocket Billards. Huzzah!
