Glasgow is home to a number of incredible bands and artists. wojtek the bear could be deemed as veterans of their local scene, having formed in 2016 and played numerous festivals across the UK and beyond. They could also be deemed as indie pop revivalists, having gained notable appreciation and played alongside iconic Scottish peers such as Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura. But with their third album ‘shaking hands with the NME’, it doesn’t matter what they’re deemed as – wojtek the bear are at the peak of their game and their musical craftsmanship is undoubtedly worth savouring.
From the first flutters of brass in ‘second place on purpose’, you can tell that you’re in for a treat with this album. Strings sections soon make their presence felt – a classic soft spot for most indie bands bolstering their sound – alongside acoustic guitars and Tam Killean’s distinct, Glaswegian lead vocals. ‘sometimes you have to go left’ brings echoes of The Smiths to the fore with Johnny Marr-esque lead guitar riffs. ‘small time highs’ follows in a similar vein, housing pensive lyrics among gorgeous chord sequences and perfectly proportioned strings.
‘slowly, then all at once’ pulses with the aura of many a great Travis record, ‘a sunday without the fear’ channels all of the introspection and sonic serenity that you’d expect from its title and the closing title track shows Killean’s storytelling at its best. He uses plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour to look back at the rose tinted glories of indie fame from years gone by, which now feel like distant folklore: “We’ll never get to tell the tale / Of the time we supported Pulp on tour / Watched them snorting lines off the bathroom floor… / Won’t be shaking hands with the NME.”
The production quality throughout the album is impeccable. Recorded with revered producer Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, New Order), he’s clearly utilised all of his expertise to bring out the fullest potential in each of the album’s ten tracks. Every arrangement feels like a marriage made in heaven; there’s no unnecessary overcomplications, no predominant sound clashing with another. Each individual element blends with one another so harmoniously, as though it’s being performed live in the next room. Sometimes keeping things simple things is all that’s needed.
A sumptuous record that encourages repeat listens, wojtek the bear are nothing but a joy.
8/10
Words: Jamie Wilde
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