February 23, 2011

Album Review: Bearsuit - The Phantom Forest (Fortuna Pop!)

Sprinkling their twee-pop with an injection of electro sounds

6 / 10 There’ve been more than a few cardigans returned to the charity shops whence they came since Bearsuit – among the original purveyors of British twee-pop’s abrasive progression from Belle & Sebastian – released 2004 debut LP ‘Cat Spectacular!’.

This fourth album and a line-up rejig finds them still in yelpingly good form, rigid electronics marginalising their previously abounding violins and flutes. Fatigue lies behind the jutting urgency, though; only ‘Giant Archaeopteryx’ really sounds up for the fight, and tracks like ‘A Train Wreck’ occasionally wander away from it completely.

Simon Jay Catling

6/10

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