Bill Direen is a legend of the New Zealand underground. We're not overstating this. He has given us poetry, novels and a slew of recorded material. Weaned on a garage band youth in the late 60's, Direen started producing 7" records in the early 80's, all of them stunners These releases - Six Impossible Things, Die Bilder, Soloman's Ball and High Thirties Piano - were self-financed and distributed though Flying Nun (and recently reissued by the benevolent Unwucht label).

Beatin Hearts is his ultimate, unforgettable debut album, not to mention Flying Nun's first full-length album release. Seventeen tracks, all brilliant short pieces of energy, harmony and spite.