Ottawa-based Bearings may come across as just another pop punk band, but they continue to embrace and reinvent the genre with their debut LP, Blue in the Dark.
As an avid listener of the pop punk, I’ve heard many bands push to the forefront of the genre with mass-produced stylings. However, Bearings are trying to breathe a breath of fresh air into the scene with their noisey guitars overlaid with clean vocals, which feel youthfully reminiscent of Simple Plan and pop punk leaders, State Champs. Simply put, Blue in the Dark could quickly become an album that people will stick with.
Throughout Blue in the Dark, front man Doug Cousins never fails to let you down with his powerful vocals and strong lyricism. The album begins with a snappy note in the first track, ‘Where You Are’, with Cousins' strong vocals. In short, the same energy and passion flows through the entire album. Tracks like ‘Aforementioned’, continue the album's hype with its sing-along chorus and 'Eyes Closed' puts forward a fun scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs vibe that'll have you playing the song on loop. Bearings continuously deliver with slower songs like ‘Careless Clarity’ or the likes of 'Hear Me Say’, which starts with a softer opening before delving into a punchy chorus. If you’re looking for another emotive track then give acoustic ballad ‘Tide’ a listen. I’m sure the track will be sure to leave you feeling a type of way after.
Overall, Bearings’ debut album demonstrates the band’s diverse sound and I hope to see how it'll evolve in their future music. With inventive stylings and powerful lyrics, the Canadian rockers are truly on the way to becoming a band you’ll have on repeat and you can quote me on that.
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