Bearfoot Beware – World Owes You Nowt

Seems kinda dumb to find fault with a throwback when it delivers the goods as succinctly as this. Leeds triumvirate Bearfoot Beware carry a torch for the never-quite-lost days of math rock, as filtered through the dubbed-out post-hardcore of Dischord Records – you can hear the stop-start jitters of accessibly complex touchstones like Faraquet in the breathless Thick Black War Paint. Never wholly straightforward, each song crashes from moments of teeth-clenched tension to flashes of melody that feel euphoric despite their brevity; precious metals embedded in jagged rock.

Evidently not one to settle for the ease of clarity, singer Tom Bradley’s lyrics come in cryptic fragments, his targets just about clear whether ragging on religion or exploring environmental concerns. Once thing’s for certain: he’s pissed off. Bearfoot Beware’s triumph is the way they convert these disparate and difficult-to-digest elements into comfortably palatable forms, echoing not just the basic sound of their long-gone heroes, but their spirit as well. Top notch. [Will Fitzpatrick]