Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Listening Too Long To One Song: Bearsuit "More Soul Than Wigan Casino"

While sorting through my top priority showcases to attend during South by Southwest I noticed that Bearsuit are playing the Happy Happy Birthday to Me day party on Thursday. My first thought was, "Bearsuit?!? Gosh I haven't thought about them in ages." Which was immediately followed by my second thought, "Fucking awesome!"

It must have been fate (or whatever) because sure enough the brand new record from Bearsuit Oh:Io showed up in the mail on the very same day. And sure enough, it's practically the only thing I want to listen to right now. Most particularly track two "More Soul Than Wigan Casino." It certainly falls on the more catchy and accessible end of Bearsuit's often antagonizing, and brilliant avant-twee pop. All of the elements for a perfect pop song are there. A quick build up to a dizzying pace complete with trumpets? Check! Giddy shouting, "Soul!" ? Check! Traces of Amelia Fletcher in girl singer Lisa Horton's vocals? Check! (!!) Droll boy singer counter part in Iain Ross, "I've got no So-oh-oh-oul..." ? Check! All of this leading up to the most satisfying line as a chorus that I've heard so far this year, "You put the others in the shade."

The album is out in the States on March 25, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. What Bearsuit manage to pull off with their sound overall is completely different from anything else going on these days, regardless of how many, "It's sort of like X meets X on X..." comparisons that you come up with. And you will come up with quite a few of those. You can pre- order the album here.

You can also watch the equally awesome video for "More Soul Than Wigan Casino" here:



How soon is Thursday? ...


~sqg//marion

1 comment:

vivs said...

Wow. The Wigan Casino shoutout (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbEuq54FcBg) in the title alone secures my approval. Good stuff!