Bear Trade - Silent Unspeakable LP - White/Brown Split Color Vinyl (/200)

Dead Broke / Everything Sucks (2017)

I'm a sucker for split color vinyl for some reason.  I just think it's the coolest looking variant you can have.  This particular split of brown and white (or 'Chips & Gravy' as they're calling it) is one of my favorites I've seen.  I think it's a great combo and it matches the blown out photograph on the album cover quite well.  Good job all around on the artwork.

Luckily this isn't just a pretty package with no substance, Bear Trade's sophomore LP serves up another dose of their working man's punk rock.  There is also a vibe from this band that is so quintessentially British that you'll never have any doubt as to where these guys call home.  In addition to carrying around the influences of some of the UK's best like Leatherface or Hooton 3 Car, they also manage to paint stories in their songs that really drive that feeling home. 

Comparing Silent Unspeakable to the band's last album Blood & Sand, it seems to me that the songs are slower over all, with more emphasis on storytelling and less concern about being fast or loud.  The album has a cohesive feeling as if each song is building on the one that preceded it.  In some ways it reminds me of the last Arrivals record.  As a whole, I think Silent Unspeakable is the best of Bear Trade and should be a must listen for anyone into melodic UK punk.

Bear Trade - Silent Unspeakable:

https://deadbrokerekerds.bandcamp.com/album/silent-unspeakable

Bear Trade - Blood And Sand LP - Clear w/ Blue Splatter (/500)

Dead Broke / Everything Sucks (2014)

As soon as you throw around a tagline that says "ex-members of Blocko" I'm going to sit up and take notice right away.  Blocko was one of my favorite UK punk rock bands and to see any of their members moving on to new projects is a wonderful thing.  Bear Trade has been on my radar for a bit, since they released their debut 7" last year.  Expectations were quite high for this full length, but I can say without question that Blood And Sand delivers.

Being able to listen to a full album's worth of material from Bear Trade is kind of eye opening.  I was expecting an album of Blocko style, dynamic palm muted glory.  While there are songs that fit that bill, the rest of the album runs the gamut from Iron Chic style anthemic, "whoa-ohhh" fist raising songs to aggressive, but still catchy, burners like "Nice Boots."  Also, a real stand out track is "Postcards."  It's a song that could only emanate from the UK with it's soft spoken, almost storyteller like vocals that makes me feel like I'm hanging out with old timers telling stories in a run down pub.  It's just an incredibly dynamic track and one of the best of an awfully great batch of songs.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled with the debut full length from Bear Trade.  Despite my high hopes for the record, they still managed to impress me.  Back in the mid 90's, the UK punk scene was the most exciting scene on the planet.  While those glory days may be behind us, with bands like Bear Trade, The No Marks and Stay Clean Jolene leading the way, the future is looking quite stellar.

Bear Trade - Blood And Sand LP:

http://deadbrokerekerds.bandcamp.com/album/blood-sand

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard 7" - White Vinyl (/100), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Everything Sucks (2013)

The main reason I wanted to pick up this Bear Trade 7" when I first heard about it was because one of the members was previously in a band that I loved, Blocko. It was a sad day when Blocko split up and I've been doing my best to try to keep tabs on all of the various other projects everyone has been involved in. It took a little bit to get this record as I was trying to navigate some pretty expensive shipping options from the UK, but my buddy Julian @ Drunken Sailor picked this up for me and shipped over with a bunch of records I was ordering from him. Top guy!

Bear Trade, musically, do tread some of that same territory that I loved from bands like Blocko or Broccoli. While the singer of Bear Trade doesn't possess some of the more melodic vocal qualities of the aforementioned bands, musically they are right in that same ballpark with roaring choruses, palm muted bridges and a really tight rhythm section. Vocally, I hear more similarities to bands like The Great St. Louis. A harsher, gruffer delivery, but completely fits the music. It's a great 7" and I'm eager to hear the full length that I believe the band is currently working on.

Bear Trade - Belief is a Graveyard:
everythingsucksmusic.bandcamp.com/