Premiere: Bearhug ‘Catacombs’

August 4th 2014

Just a couple of weeks ago, we got the first taste of new Bearhug with the instrumental ‘Borderlines’. In the time since their debut album Bill, Dance, Shiner, a firm favourite in the FBi music library, the ‘hug have lost a member – and seem to have replaced him with fuzz. Layers and layers of thick fuzz.

Today we’re excited to wrap our ears around the first official single from album no. 2, So Gone – with Amy Gibbs taking ‘Catacombs’ for its first radio spin on Arvos.

We’re extending that premiere here so that you can hit the repeat button a few times and let it all sink in properly… Because to get the most from ‘Catacombs’, you have to be prepared to reach in deep.

The trademark Bearhug riffs, teenage lyrics and washy vocals are there, they’re just meticulously folded in between layers of reverb and spiralling solos that J Mascis would surely nod along to.

(Apparently Owen Penglis (Straight Arrows) nearly lost his mind recording this album, they lost and rediscovered so many guitar tracks in the mixing process. Don’t underestimate how thick this audio sandwich can get…)

Now, I know nothing of the circumstances in which Bearhug lost a member, but I almost hope that they were laced with a little adolescent angst: because in my mind So Gone is Bearhug’s breakup beard. It’s certainly looking to be fuzzy enough…

 

So Gone is out September 12, 2014 through Spunk Records.

Want more new music? Listen to our weekly playlists here.

 

Contributor

Host of Thursday Lunch, 1-3pm on FBi 94.5FM.

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