Sunday, 12 July 2009

Review - Bear Driver - Paws & Claws

Bear Driver - Paws & Claws

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6 out of 10

Leeds four-piece Bear Driver deliver quite a wonderful little EP here with "Paws and Claws". There are the delicate touches that Manchester Orchestra wouldn't be ashamed of, the group vocals that seem to be lifted straight from an Arcade Fire single and psych-pop interludes that wouldn't sound out of place towards the end of a Sigur Ros album. However, this mix of artistic influences is my one criticism of the band; in places there is an awful lot going on in these departments which ruins the delicacy and simplicity of the core sound these chaps are producing. When at it's most simple, particularly in the first half of 'A Thousand Samurais', the music on offer here is wonderful, but it seems the more I progress through the remaining two tracks, there's just a little too much going on.

Bear Driver are by no means the finished article, and as a starting point this EP really is a fantastic, and I'll be keeping an eye out for them, as with a little time to develop a more original sound, this Yorkshire quartet could really be something special.

Listen: www.myspace.com/thebeardriver

Tracklist:
1. A Thousand Samurais
2. No Time To Speak
3. Ada Rose

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