Post-hardcore/post-rock/emo/indie vets Karate have continued their vinyl reissue campaign with Numero Group with a reissue of their third album, 1998's The Bed Is in the Ocean. Get yours here. If you're unfamiliar with the classic LP, this AllMusic review sums it up well:
Karate's third full-length album showcases the Massachusetts' quartet's knack for simple indie rock instrumentation and emo-esque lyrics. "The Same Stars" starts off with an extended jazzy introduction, giving way to Geoff Farina's soulful crooning and the impending jazz-indie rock fusion. "Diazapam" begins with a funky experimental guitar line before Farina's vocals check in to control the pace with his most demanding vocal presence so far on the disc. His energy creates an aural splendor throughout the song, but that energy is not continued on the next track, "The Last Wars," which is another of the band's subtle ballads. "Bass Sounds" is, as its title would suggest, a bass-heavy anthem full of metaphors from the engaging Farina. The minimalist instrumentation on "Fatal Strategies" serves to give more room for Farina's voice to stretch out. The same strategy is used on many of the other songs on The Bed Is in the Ocean. The soft introductory tone on "Not to Call the Police" leads to a song that is classic Karate: simple, direct, emotional, and effortlessly enchanting. Like the album's artwork, which features a series of Legos toy pieces, the album is thoughtfully assembled to create a unique piece of art.
The reissue is available to pre-order on black vinyl now in the BrooklynVegan shop.
Read more about how the Karate reissues came to be here, and stay tuned for presumably more to come.
Stream The Bed is in the Ocean: