Source: EP Artwork
Fresh from a support show with Biffy Clyro, Lonely The Brave are releasing a four-track EP which features three non-album tracks and their cover of ‘Comfortably Numb’ by progressive-rock legends Pink Floyd. As well as a studio version of the cover, the EP contains the original ‘Bottled Time’ and ‘Place Isn’t Lost’ alongside the title track ‘Dust & Bones’. The EP will be available on limited edition 12” vinyl and to download from August 12th. With only 500 vinyls being produced, fans will need to be quick to get their hands on one.
Produced by Ross Orton (M.I.A, Drenge, Arctic Monkeys), ‘Dust & Bones’ is a short, sharp burst of emotion and melody which should tide over any Lonely The Brave fan until they are ready to produce a new album. Although the three original tracks don’t give an awful lot of scope for Lonely The Brave to showcase the full variety of the quartet’s talents, the tracks certainly offer a taster of the band’s potential.
As with their critically acclaimed second album ‘Things Will Get Better’, a lot of the overall sound and feel of ‘Dust & Bones’ relies on the superb vocals of David Jakes. His vocals can be powerful, gritty, or gentle, and in the four short tracks on this EP he manages to cover all of that. That being said, the marriage of Jakes’ vocals with the rhythmic circular guitar riffs and drum beats make each of the tracks anthemic stadium-fillers with understated verses and epic chorus’. The quartet have a distinctive sound, and the raw, emotional tones keep these tracks down to earth and relatable. The tracks start and end very abruptly; there’s not time for intros and outros on ‘Dust & Bones’, and this adds charm and urgency to it. If this was the case over the course of a full-length album, it would definitely grate, but on four tracks it works very well.
The cover track on this EP is definitely a gamble for Lonely The Brave. Not only could they risk offending Pink Floyd fans, but they also run the risk of fans wondering why they have opted for a cover, rather than an extra original song on an EP as short as four tracks. There is no experimenting, or adding their individual twist to the song, and it remains true to the original. This leaves the track slightly underwhelming. It is a good cover, the vocals and instrumentals do have some of Lonely The Brave’s distinctive, alt-rock sound, but fans will be disappointed that they included ‘Comfortably Numb’ rather than another original song which fans will be craving.
However, fans should be excited about this short EP. It emphasises the diversity in Lonely The Brave’s sound, a perceived longevity and perception beyond their young years as a band; and a fair one too. The group evoke a classic, alternative-rock sound ahead of others, influenced by the diverse likes of dEUS, Screaming Trees and Mogwai.
