Follow My Leader - Broken Bear
By Daffs aka @TwoDaff
Epsom duo Broken Bear formed in around 2016, having previously been part of a four-piece band ska/rock band which gigged extensively at venues and festivals across the UK, playing alongside bands such as Catfish & The Bottlemen, Razorlight, Ozric Tentacles, The View, Space, Buzzcocks, British Sea Power and Toploader. Difficult to pigeon-hole, the pair’s music has been described as alt-rock, indie, shoe-gaze, garage rock, grunge and everything in between.
Having a wide range of influences including The Kinks, IAMX, Nirvana, The Beatles, Radiohead, Blur, Damien Rice, Alanis Morissette, Bob Marley, Sam Fender, Arctic Monkeys, The Raconteurs, Tracy Chapman, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Kings of Leon, The Cure, U2, The White Stripes, Half Moon Run. Broken Bear are carving out their own sound but comparisons have been drawn with bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac and The Cranberries.
‘Follow My Leader’ is the first single and title track from their upcoming 4th EP. The first two EPs were released in 2021 ‘Voices in a Hurricane’ and ‘Gonna Let It Burn’. ‘The Void’ EP was released last year. Due for release on Friday 7th April 2023, the single announces the EP with a firm slap to the face.
Described by KATE HOARE (IAMUR) “It’s anger and protest without shouting it from the rooftops...the perfect soundtrack for the impending apocalypse”
Laura’s haunting vocal
Opening with Laura’s haunting vocal and the line “Mistake a mirror for a window…The world is dying before our eyes” crisp, clear and dramatic yet delicate. It has an air of desolation in its delivery. A rat a tat tat of a drum beat with a feedback infused guitar note adds further anticipation before you are hit with chugging dirty guitar riffs giving a Nirvana-esque vibe.
Chugging dirty guitar riffs
The drums pick up in aggression, pounding and pummelling out a driving beat. The guitars chug and ride the beats creating an almost desolate muddied backdrop. However, the rhythm is catchy, its loud and edgy, this blends perfectly with softer delicate tones of the vocal. It’s a track that draws you in and captivates. The hard Seattle sound soundscape fused with the haunting melodic tone in Laura’s voice keeps the listener occupied.
Draws you in and captivates
The chorus is packed with melodies in both the instrumental and the vocals “Now is the time for monsters”. As the track builds you can feel the tension and angst embedded within the track, its full of complexities, from subtle changes in rhythm to filthy guitar riffs and then comes a change of pace and vibe. A slowed down almost bluesy solo where a cleansing guitar briefly revives you before reverting back to the original dirty soundscape.
A cleansing guitar briefly revives you
As I have said in previous reviews, it’s a pleasure when a band you are unfamiliar with sends a track in and it impresses you. This is no different, although not the usual genre I listen to regularly, it’s a track that has left me wanting to hear more. It is impressive to think that such a complex sound can be produced by two musicians. What is clear however, is that Broken Bear are multi-skilled, the sound is big, yet its delicate at the same time, it has resonance that is deep and a message that many will get. Looking forward to hearing more from these. Give them a listen!
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