It's safe to say that things have been going rather peachy for Derry's Little Bear. Since the release of their debut E.P, they've picked up extensive airplay both in Northern Ireland and further afield, with "Few and Far Between" even making it to the Radio 1 playlist. They've also came into their own live, filling in for Two Door Cinema Club when they had to pull out of Other Voices in Derry, and then ended up making the trip over to London for a gig there.
Despite the flurry of label interest in the group, Little Bear have decided to sign to local record label Smalltown America, where they will be releasing their double A-side single "Night Dries Like Ink/Killer," a release that shows off and advances the dark folk-tinged tracks that they've become well known for.
It is unsurprising that given the growing affection towards the band, these songs are the most accessible songs they have released to date. Both songs have more than their fair share of an Elbow sound to them, particularly the pre-"Seldom Seen Kid" era version before they neglected their drum kit. On top of this, "Killer" also calls to mind an ever more grandiose version of Wild Beasts, something that at one point seemed impossible. On top of all this, both tracks feature soaring guitar lines, impassioned vocals, and a production style that just screams 'stadium anthemics'.
On the strength of these tracks, it is no surprise why Little Bear are blowing their fellow countrymen out of the water -their sound is ambitious, their songs are captivating, and they aren't half-bad live either. Derry will only be the City of Culture for another 7 months. Let's see if we can make them national household names by then, okay?
"Night Dries Like Ink/Killer" will be released on July 15th, but the MP3s can be purchased direct from Smalltown America now.
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