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Bearsuit ....Wigan Casino

Bearsuit: More Soul Than Wigan Casino (EP)

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by Alex Hegazy

It starts with some well-timed wake-up-call shouts and a guitar line that follows a sultry but shrewd female vocal. Then the male vocal comes in. Then there’s a time change and more shouts. And the vocals mix up. And then…

It’s not I’m From Barcelona or Architecture In Helsinki, but it’s certainly in the same vein. While the aforementioned references are Scandinavian and Australian respectively, running in parallel with them are this Norwich crew, Bearsuit. Here we have a theatrical costume cupboard brim full of mad musical expressionists illustrating the point that a pop song need not follow a set pattern. Here we have, at last, one of the singles that will make 2007 memorable.

John Peel would be proud and Norwich should be, too.

  • Bearsuit 9 / 10

Bearsuit ....Wigan Casino

Bearsuit: More Soul Than Wigan Casino (EP)

no votes
?
by Shain Shapiro

How 'bout we all put on pink frilly outfits, get some skipping ropes and head down to the local playground for a ripping game of spud? Follow that with a few whiffs of cola before heading back to the rehearsal space to bang out a musical tribute to ADHD. Not only does this scenario sound like an entertaining excursion, it also mimics the fervent tweeness evident on Bearsuit’s new EP, More Soul Than Wigan Casino.

In very Architecture in Helsinki style, this big boy/girl band jumps around a lot, screams in unison, utilises a whole jungle gym of instrumentation, prancing around like everything is super whilst singing about something absolutely irrelevant. There is an evident party atmosphere lofting over the track, but singing like you enjoy spurting milk out of your nose loses substance after thirty seconds. I sense a definitive huggable embrace from those so wooed by pop that it does not matter how manufactured all this glee sounds. All things considered, this is funny shit; whether or not it's actually a worthwhile listen, though, is up for discussion.

I vote for the latter.

  • Bearsuit 4 / 10

Love the contradicitng reviews

I however prefer the first review simply because I agree with it. Looking forward to seeing them in Winchester


I heard Bearsuit...

...before AIH. They're different bands really aren't they? Of the two I'd say bearsuit were best and less in the 'making music that sounds like it's made my children' section.

Contradicting reviews: This is probably a good idea. Maybe it should be done more often, though i guess it could be a pain finding 2 people who'd listen to an album/single and then offer a very different viewpoint.


Do the reveiew have to be contradictory?

I'd be just as happy if two people scored an single/album 7 and 8 or something.
Having said that, I don't think it would be very hard to find two people with fairly different opinions on a piece music.
In this case I imagine I would lean towards the second opinion, then lean past it and score it 2/10.


I think it's better if it's contradictory

As long as the reviewers give reasons for why they loved/hated it so that you can agree/disagree and decide which one to believe the most! Two reviewers liking something is a bit boring. It'd work better on overhyped albums like the Arcade Fire/Bloc Party/etc. albums which seem to lack any kind of proper critical judgement in the press (although not without their merits, overhyped does not always mean bad).

I think the problem is, though plently of people do have different views how will you know until you give it to them? So if you gave 2 copies to two different people and they both came back with glowing reviews you'd have to sack one of them and employ a miserable reviewer instead. Unless, of course, people have preconceived ideas on what score they're going to give the album before the listen to it.

It wouldn't be a very good idea in lifestyle mags like the NME. Nobody would know which bands were cool and which clothes to buy. Their worlds would implode.


i could be mister grumpy

i hate pretty much everything. Except Bearsuit, ahem.
the thing i like about these reviews is that they kinda say the same things... except one of yous hates it and one of yous loves it.
x


The AiH point is moot

As AiH don't seem to have any kind of noisy/Nirvana-ey Deerhoof kind of influence apparent in what they do. Not to my ears anyways.

Bearsuit rule so hard, and were amazing live on this tour. I hope Party Bear's at the Railway, Annoying_Person...





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