News

Bear Trade Announce New Album & Share New Video

• 4th Mar 2014

“A short lament about a horrendous c**t.” That’s how Bear Trade vocalist Greg Robson describes the first track on the band’s forthcoming debut album ‘Blood And Sand‘. Opener ‘Another One For The List’ sets the band’s characteristic no nonsense tone; it’s an attitude that is more than apparent throughout the record and is coupled with a unique knack for story-telling that invokes an almost folk music feel.

A positive-vibe-inducing but sometimes cynically bittersweet, sharp and snappy journey through Bear Trade’s enviably simple outlook on life is evidenced in every track. The story-telling ‘Nice Boots’ is described by Robson simplistically – “A few years back we went to the States. I went to Brooklyn to buy a guitar. I can’t remember a lot about that day apart from how hard it rained how glad I was that I had wore my work boots.”

Throughout the album, the band’s roots in the North East of England and their everyday life experiences there are more than apparent, both through Robson’s undeniable vocal accent and through lyrical content. ‘Don’t Forget You’re Going To Die’ is about how weird it is living in an industrial town 20 years after said industry was removed. As Robson says of the local folk, “Everyone is pissed off and they don’t know why.” Bassist Lloyd Chambers chimes in “I guess the lyrics and way they are sung are unashamedly in the local tongue and pronunciation.”

No strangers to being in bands and doing it themselves, the members of Bear Trade certainly acknowledge that they’re a product of our collective experiences in bands (Blocko, Broken Few, Former Cell Mates, The Mercury League, The Mingers, Pure Graft, Ruin You!, Southport, Spines, Writhe) and in life. They are the best of friends and describe being in the band as “so easy”. A breath of fresh air when most bands are whinging about their trials and tribulations when it comes to working hard and doing everything themselves in the current ever-shifting musical landscape.

It’s a family affair as Chambers explains “The record is going to be released by our friends around the world. We had fun making it at Nile Street in Sunderland where life is an experience and transferred to the recordings. Our buddy recorded and mixed it. We just stripped it all down to doing what was fun and felt good with good people. I hope that this comes across in the songs and how people find us when we play.”

The record drops just as Bear Trade head off on tour with Long Islanders Iron Chic who they fondly refer to as their brothers.

UK LIVE DATES:

Apr 5 – Cambridge Portland Arms

Apr 19 -Stockton Calling
May 2 – York Woolpack

May 3 – London The Lexington (w/ Toys Thay Kill)
May 4 – Kingston
 Fighting Cocks (w/ Iron Chic)
May 5 – Newcastle The Cluny (w/ Iron Chic)
May 6 – Edinburgh Teviot (w/ Iron Chic)
May 7 – Manchester Star And Garter (w/ Iron Chic)
May 8 – Bristol The Exchange (w/ Iron Chic)
May 9 – Southampton WTFest
May 10 – Kings Lynn Ye Olde Maydens Heade
May 16 – Leeds Santiagos (w/ Red City Radio)
Jun 6 – Newport Le Pub
Jun 7 – Norwich The Owl Sanctuary