Dylan Rau wrote around 70 songs when he instigated the band, but it has taken a while for the spoils to see the light of day. Five years since the band’s inception, there has been a single EP: 2007‘s Golden, included here with a bunch of remixes on the Australian edition of Burning Bush Supper Club. Golden was a dynamic show of power and this long-player pushes their case even further, particularly the vigorous opening quartet of songs.
Fifth track Tablasaurus is a little too Empire of the Sun for my liking, and this is also the point where the quality drops and then hovers at middling level to match the tempo for the remainder of the album. The slower, more introspective numbers never really offer the same thrill as songs like Crime Pays or What A Drag, though the lyrics retain their dry wit throughout – there’s even an earnest ode to Harmony Korine’s creation, Julien Donkey Boy.
A select few songs here show a winning combination of sharp focus and wild energy. Bear Hands’ next trick will be to extend these strengths to encompass the full length of an album.
