Bear Hands - Golden EP

For those to whom the phrase ‘debut EP’ conjures up the notion of a tinny or fuzzy handful of half-baked songs, you’re sure to be disappointed with Golden by Brooklyn upstarts Bear Hands. The band show off a number of genres as influence on these four songs and none of which rub the wrong way. A Siamese Dream-like riff permeates Long Lean Queen, a track that, along with most of the album, demonstrates modern indie’s propensity for dance beat take-offs. Later, Sickly Brunette recalls contemporaries The Helio Sequence with its spaced-out, caterwauling guitars. In short, Golden is a competent amalgamation of expansive indie and alternative rock, an admirable debut and reason enough to anticipate what comes next. [Jason Morton]