Single Review

Forest – Wisdom Tusk EP

• 24th Mar 2014

Forest are a young five piece indie band from Cambridge, and are already onto their third EP despite only forming a year or so back. Their musical approach is indie pop come lackadaisical slacker, with simple repeated melodies and plenty of guitar strumming. Add in angst filled post teen lyrics that reflect lead songwriter Henry Barraclough reaching the grand old age of twenty and you get something with a lot more maturity than most young bands show.

Producer Dave Allen (The Cure, Sennen, Stranglers and many others) has given Forest a much cleaner sound than the grungy guitar heavy production of earlier work, and there is an air of a band feeling its way close towards discovering its own sound. The deep, slow vocals may grate a little in places but the overall progression shown here is clear. Forest are developing into a band with something to say and the ability to say it clearly and strongly.

The four track EP opens with All I Have and a burst of fuzzy indie guitar that sounds more like the band’s past EPs but it quickly fades and a slower slacker sound takes over. Box has a repeated melody that sticks and a simpler structure before the laid back September, built around a fine bass line, sees a thoughtful melancholy take over. Closing track Knots is downbeat and reflective and ends the EP strongly with an air of realism.

Forest have been marked out as ones to watch by a number of commentators and this EP is definitely the best yet from a talented quintet. With the development of the songwriting voice and the more mature sound adopted here, Forest are beginning to carve themselves a niche in the growing slacker scene.

Venue: Wisdom Tusk EP
Support Band: Indielabel