Review: Forest – ‘Sweetcure EP’


forest

The flatland fens of Cambridgeshire make a fitting backdrop for the earthy tones of new indie five-piece Forest – indeed the video for their new track ‘Great Greens’ resembles a hipster Blair Witch Project in super slo-mo.

Having begun their collaborations at just 14, and still barely old enough to buy a pint in the pubs they’ve played, the quintet are remarkably well-versed already for a band so green (sorry), and have developed a nice, richly melodic indie stoner-rock sound, with a healthy shoegaze vibe – and with 2013 releases from Deerhunter and My Bloody Valentine, it’s certainly the year for it.

Main vocalist Henry Barraclough leads from the front with a smoky style that seems almost older than his years, echoing elements of Julian Casablancas, Gaz Coombes and Alex Turner, and a timbre that supplements but never overwhelms the hazy backdrop.

Forest make notable use of two vocalists, with guitarist Peter Guillard providing vocals on the heaviest, murkiest track on the EP – ‘The Travelling Circus’ – as well as effective back-up throughout; the contrasting voices melting into one another with strong precision. Rounding off the quintet are third guitarist Hugo Meredith-Hardy, bassist Jack Andrews and drummer Dominic Pettitt.

In only four tracks, the EP manages to encompass a decent range. ‘Great Greens’ is a catchy number with interesting rhetoric and metaphor in its lyrics, while the lively, anthemic, ‘John’,  the garage-y, Libertines-esque ‘Good People’ and the aforementioned ‘Travelling Circus’ complete a shoegaze-heavy aural attack.

It’s a bold and impressive debut, and definitely marks Forest out as one to keep an eye on.

(Jack Gunner)



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