|
Brea - EP Brea are a band based in Barcelona, made up of four Argentineans, Manuel Cortes on guitar and vocals, Ramiro Ruiz on bass, Gabriel Garcia on guitar and HoJu on drums. Falling into the stoner-rock genre, Brea are a band who remind me of a Josh Homme project, the change in tempo, the vocals and the slickness about them.
When I was living in Barcelona I worked with Rami, and was therefore encouraged along to numerous shows, and I was taken by surprise. These were undoubtedly some of the loudest, sweatiest, hairiest and most exciting gigs I’d ever seen, and they kept getting better. One in Particular comes to mind, on my birthday, in a small bar in Port Olympic, Brea performed sandwiched between a 50’s style rockabilly band and an AC/DC/Motorhead tribute. An odd line up, but Brea were simply fucking great. And now they’ve finally recorded and released their four song self-titled debut EP, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Opening track ‘Have Fun’ begins with a steady riff and HoJu tickling the cymbals before the vocals are introduced and the songs kicks in, the sudden changes in pace are what makes it great, going from a fast paced, heavy song, then briefly slowing down as the riff stands alone, to be appreciated. The track then slows again as the vocals take the attention, for a good 20 seconds, before the song drops back into a heavier section before yet again reducing the pace into what is something more like a steady jam, sounding like something you would expect to find on a Them Crooked Vultures album. Second tune ‘No Second Chance’ begins with a slow paced riff, before the drums kick in, and again you get the sense that you could be listening in on a jam session, then the vocals are introduced, which, throughout the track, are very Josh Homme-esque. The song then picks up and the pace is livened up, before a stand alone riff leads the track back into the slower, jazzier, jam style section, and this is where you’ll find your definition of stoner rock, steady beats, strong bass, with slick, fluid riff placed over.
Penultimate track ‘Control’ begins with a series of quotes from George Orwell’s ‘1984’: “In our world there will be no emotions except fear, rage, triumph and self-abasement. The sex instinct will be eradicated. We shall abolish the orgasm. There will be no loyalty, except loyalty to the party. But always, there will be the intoxication of power. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot, stamping on the human face, forever. Don’t let it happen, it depends on you…” George Orwell’s final warning repeats itself before the track kicks in with a bang, almost taking you by surprise. The track is fairly similar to the first two in terms of the twists and turns and the changes in pace. ‘Control’, in my opinion, is the stand-out track of the EP, as it was in the live shows as well. It begins thunderously, with the bass providing a sturdy backbone for the EP’s best track. This song is also the one in which drummer HoJu displays himself best, the drums are fast, solid and faultless. “But I have seen, the truth in my own eyes, well you are no more than, a wave of sound” Cortes sings, before the track slips into a steady teasing build up, with effects placed over a fidgety riff and powerful drumming, before spiralling into an erratic, pacey climax. Final track ‘Night twist” is the shortest of the EP, standing at just under 3 minutes, but still packs just as hefty a punch as the previous 3. Beginning with a steady drum beat before a guitar riff is introduced, the bass then follows, before the final piece of the puzzle is added, the guitar providing a scratchier tone to the track. All four ingredients combining to create a track that, as typical of this EP, contains the electrifying, exciting changes in pace that you come to expect, and another steady build up towards the end, before launching back into a heavy, rocky ending to song, with Cortes shouting “I’m ready to go” as the track abruptly ends.
Alfi https://www.facebook.com/brearock |
