Bare Hunter - 'Cabin Fever' EP

A 3-piece garage blues band at the core, Bare Hunter’s ‘Cabin Fever’ EP offers glimpses of other genres, setting them apart from the production-heavy ringtone-blues rock of those who have taken the Black Keys as their lead. The lightning-fast gallop of ‘Esmerelda’ displays a dramatic flair that is uncommon amongst their peers, coming on like a fuzz-tone take on Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’, biblical references and all. The rush of Jack Lineham’s drumming that ushers in the song is confirmation of the bands moxy.

 

Elsewhere, ‘What are we fighting for?’ has a hardcore-punk guitar break from Roger James that is worthy of Black Flag, absurdly nestled as it is in a song that rides a groove that could be from Captain Beefheart’s ‘Safe As Milk’. Yet the band make it work perfectly, taking the song into unexpectedly brutal places. Robbie Humphries has some serious wallop as a singer, a hellhound bark that reminds of Glenn Danzig, and on ‘One of these mornings’ he displays mean skills on the harmonica too.

It seems that they have opted to push the scope of their song writing beyond their drum, guitar & vocals framework, rather than sit within the cosy confines of economy. And though their scope is matched by their performing ability, the songs hang around only long enough to show off the invention within, the path to indulgence duly avoided.

This is a great introduction to a band that undoubtedly has even more genre-twists stashed in their talent bag. Sharp, singular and really, really good.

Rich

‘Cabin Fever’ will be released on The Cabin Records on the 8th June 2015

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