Bebek

Artist Information

Biography

"Smile, Broadcast Tattoos", Bebek's latest CD, deals with the emotion of life's challenging moments and coming to terms with the marks they leave. Bebek’s music has been described as “a sexy, psychedelic sound that meshes the music of Morcheeba, Stereolab and Radiohead” (Skratch Magazine). Bebek’s new album retains these characteristics while expanding the band’s sonic elements. The dream pop of their 2006 EP Open Eyes is the launching point for the unique vision that characterizes “Smile, Broadcast Tattoos”. Last year, Bebek solidified their status as a national act through touring that took them as far west as Albuquerque, south to Austin, north to Minnesota and up and down the east coast. In addition, Open Eyes received excellent reviews from several national and international press outlets and comprehensive radio play. To date, Bebek's music has been broadcast on 366 stations across North America and Europe.

Building off the successes of 2006, "Smile, Broadcast Tattoos" still retains many of Bebek's sonic trademarks: dense keyboard textures, angular yet melodic guitar parts, and an unrelenting rhythm section. However, "Smile, Broadcast Tattoos" features a more direct songwriting style that supports Lynn's vocals with energy and intensity. The opening track 'Marching Dolls' immediately sets this tone, with a guitar riff and vocal intro that continue to gain momentum until they reaches the song's anthemic chorus.

The human quality of "Smile, Broadcast Tattoos" brings Bebek full circle to its inception when Nick meets Lynn in a bar and starts a conversation which turns to music. They eventually get married and move to Philadelphia, where they start a band. Soon after the band starts, Nick's mother dies. This event helps name the band. Bebek ('baby' in Turkish) is the name of the neighborhood where Nick's mother, who introduced him to music, came from in Istanbul. It also serves as a point of departure for much of the material Bebek starts to perform. The lyrics portray deeply personal situations about attachment and loss with a poetic humanity. Lynn's soaring vocals fit in a Philadelphia scene partially dominated by neo-soul, while the edgy, gurgling electronica of Nick's music set the band apart from the rest of the Philly indie scene. Bebek makes a name for itself by crossing over to both of these audiences, while maintaining their unique sound. This leads the Philadelphia Weekly to recognize in the band's infancy that "Philadelphia's budding Bebek possesses a sneaky infectiousness that hints at a bright future."

Bebek releases its first full-length record, Bebek, at a sold out show at the popular Philadelphia club – The Fire. The sell-out adds to the band's momentum and soon they become one of Philly's largest draws, playing big venues like the TLA. Along with these larger venues come headlining gigs at the North Star and World Café Live. Local, national, and European press all agree that the band's self-produced, eponymous debut demonstrates a musical breadth and distinct compositional creativity. Positive press and excellent record play propel Bebek steadily higher on the national radar, which all create the momentum to last year's release of Open Eyes that saw the band introduced to a larger national audience.

In addition to its hometown of Philadelphia, the band is now firmly established in New York, Chicago, D.C, Pittsburgh, Winston-Salem & Greensboro, NC and Lexington, KY. It has growing audiences in Minneapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Ann Arbor, Boston, Nashville, and Louisville, KY. Bebek has performed at 2006's SXSW, NEMO (Boston), Summerfest (Milwaukee), Hyperactive Music Festival ( Albuquerque), Midpoint Music Festival (Cincinnati) and The Lebowski Fest in New York in October '05 - an event that is covered in Rolling Stone, Playboy, Spin and Giant. Bebek is currently licensed for MTV shows Made and My Super Sweet Sixteen as well as PBS' Roadtrip Nation.

Instrumentation

Lynn Michalopoulos - vocals
Anthony Matthews - drums
Frank Vasile - guitar
Nick Michalopoulos - keys

Discography

"Smile, Broadcast Tattoos"
"Open Eyes" - EP
"Bebek" - eponymous full-length album
"Frozen" - Bebek live EP

Tracks that have airplay:
From 'Bebek':
807 Dub, Traffic, Palm Tree, She Knows, Rollerderby, Today, Grace 6 5,
From 'Open Eyes':
Balance Beam*, Lead, Good News, Open Eyes, In Between, 807 Dub*, Good News
* (also played in England - Guilford, Surrey)

Audio

• Marching Dolls
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• 8 am
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• Ahmed
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Lyrics

• Marching Dolls
• 8 am
• Ahmed

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Skratch Magazine Review [+ Show ]
  

  "While this CD is self released, don't expect any future work from Philadelphia's most promising ban..."While this CD is self released, don't expect any future work from Philadelphia's most promising band to be that way. Bebek (which means "Baby" in Turkish) could be the most European band ever from America. With a sexy psychedelic dance sond that meshes the sound of Morcheeba, Stereolab and Radiohead, this band has found a perfect vehicle for success. Sultry lead singer Lynn Michalopoulus was all the talk at this years SXSW, and this band will get signed in a big way in the very near future. Until then, you can still trance out to these lush electronica beats at medium size venues, mostly on the east coast. Pick up this six-song ep and play it really loud to impress your friends and family before this band becomes a household name." -Skratch Magazine, Dec. 6, 2006

• Okay Player Review of "Smile, Broadcast Tattoos" [+ Show ]
  

  "The curious tension between lead singer Lynn Michalopoulos’s vocals and the music is unique[ly] int..."The curious tension between lead singer Lynn Michalopoulos’s vocals and the music is unique[ly] intriguing and Bebek milks that sense of horrified curiosity throughout all nine tracks of [their] album.... The tension between her voice and the music is what gives Smile, Broadcast Tattoos some of its appeal.... “Scribble My Sides,” which begins with an exchange of staccato funk between the drums and the bass and settles into a casual midtempo groove, is more proof that Bebek can work both ends of the spectrum, composing songs that can be elaborate or, like “Dust” or “I’m Mine,” satisfyingly simple. “What Comes Next?” layers Michalopoulos’s cheery vocalizing with mandolin, bass, chimes, even accordion, driving the album to a frenzied finale of minor chords and raging guitars." Okay Player (June, 2007)

• Smother. Net review of "Smile, Broadcast Tattoos" [+ Show ]
  

  "[Bebek's] keyboards create an addition that most pop-rock outfits don’t have the pleasure of adding..."[Bebek's] keyboards create an addition that most pop-rock outfits don’t have the pleasure of adding, meanwhile the vocals add a sexiness that is also unlike much of their more gothic brethren. Bebek knows how to be sultry and [they] can turn anyone on to their whirling dervish of sex. Catchy hooks round out their new album and breathe in a style that fits this talented group all too well." Smother.net (April, 2007)

• Review of Open Eyes in Infuze Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  " [Bebek] weaves a tangled web of haunting rock that is both versatile and well-crafted. Lynn M. has..." [Bebek] weaves a tangled web of haunting rock that is both versatile and well-crafted. Lynn M. has a voice that...is hauntingly beautiful and quietly anthemic in a lot of ways.......This isn't music that easily fades into the background, instead it commands your attention, drawing you in more and more with each repeat listen. There is nothing "ordinary" sounding about Open Eyes. Lovers of all things unique and interesting should give Bebek's latest EP a chance." Infuze Magazine (August, 2006)

• Bebek live in Nashville (en route to SXSW 2006) [+ Show ]
  

  "Bebek enjoys defying audience expectations and stretching out idomatic boundaries......Their self-t..."Bebek enjoys defying audience expectations and stretching out idomatic boundaries......Their self-titled debut work features the whirling, declarative vocals of Lynn Michalopoulos whose highly charged, animated contributions are a key part of the band's arsenal....Over the past two years, Bebek has become a favorite on both the college and Triple A radio circuits, and are headed for an engagement at this week's prestigious South by Southwest gala in Austin, TX." Ron Wynn- Nashville City Paper

• Bebek selected as Voice Choice [+ Show ]
  

  On its recent LP, Bebek offers links between such hippie-beloved subgenres as trip-hop, goth-pop, an...On its recent LP, Bebek offers links between such hippie-beloved subgenres as trip-hop, goth-pop, and dub."
  Chuck Eddy, Village Voice - "Voice Choices"

• Review in The Blitz (Portugal) [+ Show ]
  

  "Bebek, hailing from Philadelphia, PA, USA., is one of the most promising bands in the Indie soundsc..."Bebek, hailing from Philadelphia, PA, USA., is one of the most promising bands in the Indie soundscape of North America."

• Review of Open Eyes in Sureshot Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "Bebek is one of those rare bands that listeners can identify even if they aren't already familiar w..."Bebek is one of those rare bands that listeners can identify even if they aren't already familiar with the specific song being played...Bebek's music transports the listener to other parts of the world, not in the sense of being an ethnic sound, but more in the sense that the music allows you to enter a fantasy land, influenced by sounds of other lands and other times." Sureshot Magazine (Summer, 2006)

• Review of Open Eyes by Luna Kafe (Sweden) [+ Show ]
  

  The band's dynamic sound has only strengthened since their last [album]. "Lead" is a rhythm-heavy t...The band's dynamic sound has only strengthened since their last [album].
  "Lead" is a rhythm-heavy track that features singer Lynn Michalopoulos at her most sinuous. This EP proves Bebek (Turkish for baby) is a formidable force.

• Review of Open Eyes in Earcandy Music Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "Lynn Michalopoulos has a beautifully sexy voice that can make the little hairs on the back of your ..."Lynn Michalopoulos has a beautifully sexy voice that can make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up at times." Earcandy Magazine (August, 2006)

Setlist

We usually play 50 - 60 minute sets and can play up to two or three sets a night when required. Here are a few of the songs that typically appear when we play one set:
Marching Dolls
8 am
807 Dub
Lead
Frozen
She Knows
Open Eyes
ETC.

We do covers of Zeppelin's "What is and what should never be', PJ Harvey's "She la na dig" and the Pixies' "Gouge Away".

Basic Requirements

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