Oh that all inclusive indie rock genre, what will you provide us with this time… did someone say Bearhug ?
Bearhug these Aussie boys and you’ll be stuck together forever… Metaphorically at least.
Mmm that’s easy listening. It’s the kind of raw honesty you can only get from those newly entering adulthood. Teenagers turned adults, completely uncertain of the ever evolving and forever broke place the world has become. They attribute their influences to Explosions in the Sky and Broken Social Scene with their dreamy vocal layering and smooth guitar.
From what I’ve seen they kinda look like them a little bit too. They’ve got a lil bit of a Foster the People thing going on, purely with the positivity and good vibes they radiate.
The first demo released by the five piece, Cartoon Islands was released in 2008 and they have since dropped a debut album, Bill, Dance, Shiner in March, 2012. Their most recent offerings include Fireworks, released in February 2013 before their most recent album, Over Easy being released in April 2013.
Over Easy consists of four beautifully melodic tracks that just glide past your ears like a sea breeze on a summer’s day, of which these guys would be no stranger too, being signed with Spunk Records, coming out of Sydney.
Bearhug’s latest four tracks epitomize that chilled out Aussie attitude, with some subtle but totally rad guitar riffs and drum beats, over layed by Ryan Phelan with some super smooth and super entrancing vocals. As often as you hear those top 30 ‘Summer Anthems’ on the radio, I can genuinely imagine myself listening to these guys right through an Australian summer.
Personally my favourite track is Grapefruit, released in 2012. Check it out on Triple J Unearthed. That’s going to be my summer anthem. Dreaming of warmer days and a tan, can you tell?! Get amongst it.*
* Ed: Also get amongst their fuzzy new single Borderlines off their upcoming release So Gone – out Sept. 12 via Spunk Records. We’re not sure why this wasn’t mentioned.
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