This is a review of "World Owes You Nowt" recorded by Bearfoot Beware. The review was written by Ryan Mitchell Smith in 2015.
Ric, Mike and Tom are Bearfoot Beware, a Leeds based post-hard-core band who are about to release their debut album "World Owes You Nowt" via Voice of Chunk on Monday 27th April 2015. The band have had some great coverage and feedback and so having the chance to sneak peek this debut offering really tickled my fancy... especially after reading this;
"Bearfoot Beware are characterised as much by tough, tight playing as by their deliciously devious song-writing. Wall-of-sound energy, sly intelligence and subversive arrangements keep the musical surprises coming. What's not to like?" Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6)
The Intro brings a swelling soundscape to the table which invites you in before you realise you are likely to be smacked between the eyes at any minute and I am not disappointed. Wow. The awesome soundscape twists into track two, which is a tongue-in-cheek and rather epic track which really uses dynamics and tempo brilliantly. Bearfoot Beware command a confidence in the listener in the same way Primus do... but deliver a sound of their own in the process. Here we have some clever use of dissonance mixed with meaty bass lines and great guitars backed by sophisticated and powerful drum work.
He Should Have Died As A Kid raises the pace as an intense and wonderfully experimental song. It has loads of guts with a high octane back bone and the production has been brought together brilliantly. Ongoing Opera would make Frank Zappa proud had he written it... it isn't so much a sound-a-like as a style-a-like, in that similar composition methods have been employed, and to wonderful effect. This is a great song that impresses thanks to the superb musicianship on show.
Ttrad Rr BarRfight is not only expertly titled, but is a quirky and addictive wonder song that would take the roof off any stadium. This is my favourite track on the album and Bearfoot Beware have definitely grabbed my attention by this stage. Smoker develops things further with some great time signature changes and tonality twists which make this song extremely addictive too. The song-writing on this album is top notch! Mumzee has a great anthemic vibe to it and has the band taking off into euphoria central, before E By Gum comes along and tickles you with some amazing melody lines and delicate hooks that grab you by the ears and invite yet another listen. The last track ends things superbly, with The Right Honorable giving us a hook filled delicacy filled with dashing's of indulgent guitars.
I haven't left remarks about the vocals to the end on purpose but they do deserve a special mention... they are simply fantastic, full of pure passion and raw to the bone. When you mix that with the band's song-writing and backline, then you get a behemoth of a band destined for great things. This is a fantastic record that impresses much more than your average dabble into the review bin, in that I want to go straight back to the beginning and listen again. I think you will too.
To get your copy and to catch the band live then be sure not to miss their supporting tour, which has a Leeds date of May 5th 2015 at The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds with Fall and ZoZo. CD Links can also be found on the bands webpage.