This Beautiful Mess is a Dutch quintet combining orchestral, shoegazing rock and the ethereal beauty of 4AD bands like Cocteau Twins with Radiohead's sense of cathartic drama. The band consists of vocalist Arjen Van Wijk, guitarist Joop Flamman, bassist Abne Herrebout, drummer Axel Kabboord, and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Wever, who adds vocals, keyboard, and "string machine" to the group's cinematic aural palette.

On TBM's first CD, Falling on Deaf Ears, the band utilized parts of British shoegazer pop, Midwestern American emocore aesthetics, and electronica to create a well-conceived debut filled with yearning, introspective lyrics painted against swirling, hypnotic musical backdrops. Produced by the tag-team duo of Minco Eggersman and Rene de Vries, it was recorded at Mailmen Studios in Utrecht, Holland, by Martin Groeneveld. This Beautiful Mess joined the roster of American indie label Deep Elm in time for a 2001 release of Falling on Deaf Ears.

Andy Hinds
AllMusic.com