North East Blues rockers Scruffy Bear took the scene by storm with their previous EP ‘Face The Rain‘. They now return with three killer tracks on new EP ‘Good Intentions OF A Grumpy Sun’.
The Jazzy ‘Good Intentions’ straight away confirms that this band has not lost its chops. The bluesy, explosive choruses contrast with the smooth, jazz-sounding verses, and Georgie’s bellow is still killer. If the electric previous EP, ‘Face The Rain,’ was the base, then ‘Good Intentions…’ is the springboard to better and bigger things.
The second track, riffing psychedelic ‘Selfish Dreamer,’ oozes classic rock vibes with a Led Zeppelin-esque breakdown that sees guitarist Jack turn on some more intricate noodling. Suddenly, we hear a band that has grown more in tune with each other, fleshing out the Scruffy Bear sound that started developing on ‘Face The Rain’.
Ending with the full-on rock jam ‘Pity Party, ‘ the mish-mash wah-wah-led opening merges into a full-on lyrical phrasing whipping. Again, Jack demonstrates the genius of his rhythm playing. Big, fancy solos are impressive, but find a guitarist who can nail the quieter moments, and you have a winner.
Luckily for Georgie and Jack, Scruffy Bears’ back line is a very sturdy beast—vast slabs of bass when needed and minimalistic runs when not. Clashing cymbals and hefty timekeeping are courtesy of Sass and Ryan, who keep the tracks driving on and are the key behind these guys’ powerhouse blues style.
This is an EP that is very much a Scruffy Bear EP to those who know their previous work. However, this is a bigger and better Scruffy Bear that sounds that little bit more comfortable, that little bit more confident, and a whole heap better.
Check out the track Selfish Dreamer, below:
Find out more via the bands Website or Facebook
Purchase the EP here
Read our interview with the band here
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