Crisis - The Bearcat Sessions

Crisis - The Bearcat Sessions

Crisis, the nom de plume of the Belfast based rock unit, and their newest EP The Bearcat Sessions was recently brought to my attention, so naturally, I sought it out on Spotify. The self-described ‘former pop band’ are an unsigned Prog/Alt Rock band with a flair for anger and aggression, something that forms the aesthetic of their latest release. The three-part EP has elements that encompass all of their described genre affiliations: from the alternative snarl of Wake Up to the rocky bite of Barricades (which has more than a hint of Thousand Foot Krutch) and the anthemic roar of Brighter, there is plenty to enjoy but not a lot to surprise you.

There's an impassioned energy that is infused in the lyrics which acts as the marshal for the EP. It’s an inspiring trait, one that could be so much more if the music that surrounded it was not so formulaic. While satisfying in the way in which only speedy, aggressive guitar music can be, the riffs and chord progression are far too similar to differentiate this EP from the saturated scene it finds itself in. Albeit, it is disingenuous for me to suggest that this is a bad EP; it's not. It’s exhilarating when at its best and the breakdowns sound like the play by play of a street riot. It does not take too much imagination to imagine a bar crowd going mental to the shredding acoustics of Wake Up, nor is a great mind needed to envision some curious festival go-ers drawn in by the soaring chorus of Brighter (which is the high point of the album, wherein Crisis push themselves beyond their rock-oriented restrictions to great effect). However, I am unable to distance myself from the fact that the same could be said about any number of rock EPs on the local scene.

A solid EP that warrants multiple listens (I certainly managed at least four) but lacking in a certain variation between songs that could push it over the hump, and weighed down by uniformity. If anything is to be taken away from The Bearcat Sessions is that there is a tremendous amount of potential here, it is undeniable. If Crisis manages to transform their high octane passion into something less predictable, then they’ll have a real monster on their hand. A Bearshark perhaps.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stayne - Parachute

Image
Stayne - Parachute Derry singer/songwriter Stayne makes a highly anticipated return to the ‘new releases’ column with ‘ Parachute ’. A self-described pop artist who brings “something a little different,” his newest single pulls no punches. On his latest, the ‘I slay ’ performer tackles everything from alcoholism, spirituality and needing someone to hold on to a 'human parachute.’ Know to fuse his lyricism with introspection and self-worth before sending them out into the world, Stayne’s newest is his best so far. The warm gruff vocals of the walled city resident flow into range, telling a tale of victory and failure. A stripped back arrangement of keys and ghostly strings help elevate the vocal message, ultimately committing addition by subtraction. Wallowing in a more subtle sound than would be expected from pop allows Stayne to bring his voice to the forefront, giving lines such as “I’m a whole different man when I’m holding a beer” a new gravity. With this being
Read more

Stone Broken, Those Damn Crows + Baleful Creed - 10th February 2019

Image
Stone Broken, Those Damn Crows + Baleful Creed - 10th February 2019 As I make my way down fountain street, my breath materialises in front of me. As it dissipates into the night, a low rumbling grows. It’s emanating from the top floor of local music hostelry Voodoo, which plays host tonight to a contingent of hard rock fanatic and headbang enthusiasts. The scuzz is palpable as I make my way through the door. First onstage is Belfast’s own Baleful Creed . The heavy rock quartet, known for their weighty riffs and ruthless demeanour, are having some fun tonight onstage. While sticking to the meat and bones of their gruff sound, we are treated to some wavey psychedelic blues in between licks. These deviations don’t last however, and it’s not long before pounding drum fills are shaking my back wall table and gruff, leathery textured vocals are searing the paint of the wall. Ripping up the stage with a prehistoric sound steeped in the blues (a wild harmonica appears for a moment),
Read more

The Hunna - Dare

Image
The Hunna - Dare  Hertfordshire four-piece The Hunna have returned with their newest endeavour Dare, an album that screams “all filler no killer.” Most bands struggle with their second release and The Hunna are no exception. Just as Arctic Monkeys were the first ‘youtube’ band to make it big, The Hunna shunned the circuit for Facebook presence, which worked very well for them as regards to their fanbase. Unfortunately for the rest of us, this did not translate into good music. While I appreciate there are very few Alex Turner/Paul Weller types in the world, Dare is sonically and nigh unforgivably boring even in this era of repetition and dishonesty. There is a formulaic, synthetic feel to the album that sounds not only tiresome but outright disingenuous. Music is amazing because it's organic and primal, it comes from a place of sweat that travels ‘from heart to limb, to pen’ (Bryan Fallon, Handwritten, 2013). This is where the magic comes from, but Dare sounds more akin to
Read more