EP Review: Bears in Trees – ‘Keep Me Safe’

Posted: by The Editor

 

South London’s Bears in Trees have been cutting their teeth on fun, bouncy punk songs since 2016 – but with a new EP out on Counter Intuitive Records and a significant following on TikTok (with over 100,000 followers), the group seems poised to reach a wider audience. Their new EP, Keep Me Safe, pulls from folk, punk, indie, pop and more for a unique result that sounds like a group of best friends genuinely having the time of their lives making music.

The EP kicks off with “It Gets Better,” a bubbly song led by acoustic guitars and ukulele. With its singalong-in-a-pub feel and communal lyrics, the song is reminiscent of some of the higher points of Frank Turner’s Love, Ire, and Song.  The lyrics deal with the neuroses and treatments of modern times, ultimately—in true English fashion —opting for tea over pharmaceuticals. It’s followed by “Seaside,” a catchy, rollicking tune about growing older.

“Ibuprofen” stands out as a radio-ready rocker that starts with the lines “I’m crying on the floor / rocking back and forth.” This small taste gives you a good idea of the overall lyrical content of the EP, but the group always keeps things lively and uplifting. As the EP reaches its highest point over the refrain of “keep me safe,” the song fades into “Laugh/Cry,” which picks up the same line before building to a delicate, intense chorus. The group joins in as the song builds from its quiet beginnings to a collaborative rock tune before the final pass of the refrain on a solo voice and ukelele.

It would be easy for a group making this type of music to come off as overly cutesy or twee, but Bears in Trees avoid this trap. The combination of the band’s sincerity and their willingness to add a little grit to their sound give them a distinct style, making them a group to watch going forward.

Disappointing / Average/ Good / Great /Phenomenal


Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject


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