Beauty Lies is an album by the American post-punk band Bush Tetras, released in 1997.[2][3] It was the band's first album, as their 1980s output had consisted solely of EPs and singles.[4] All four original members participated in the reunion.[5]

Production

The album was produced by Nona Hendryx; Henry Rollins had produced the band's first two singles after reuniting.[6] Hendryx and Darlene Love provided backing vocals on Beauty Lies.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Los Angeles Daily News	[9]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[10]
The Plain Dealer	B+[1]
The San Diego Union-Tribune	[11]

Stereo Review wrote that "the band has improved slightly on Beauty Lies, the first decently produced recording in its history ... The approach is a bit more rock and less funk nowadays."[12] Rolling Stone deemed the album "incredibly tight, hardheaded, muscular, confident, hooky and funny."[13] The San Diego Union-Tribune opined that "the songs are often shallow, jagged little pills that start out big and fail to deliver any substance."[11]

The Los Angeles Daily News thought that Beauty Lies "finds the band in top form, still turning out funky pop gems powered by Pat Place's slash-and-burn guitar."[9] The Telegram & Gazette determined that "the band's deep-groove sense of rhythm gives it a distinctive sound, and its mix of whimsical and menacing lyrics straddles the best of punk rock's dueling interests: the abilities to incite and brush off."[14] The Dayton Daily News concluded that "there's a lot of anger and screeching, not to be confused with angry screeching, on Bush Tetras' Beauty Lies ... the difference between the two being that with all the metal-pop catharsis that spills from these songs, the band can't have anything to be hacked off about anymore."[15]

AllMusic wrote that "Place's guitar is more controlled and less slashing, though she can still work up a good old art-noise head of steam."[8]

Track listing

References