bear girl - psychodrama

Bear Girl 

Psychodrama
self-releeased; 2013

3.6 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The three-piece from Atlanta, GA called Bear Girl isn’t wasting time. They starting playing about six months ago and have already recorded a three-song EP entitled Psychodrama that is a technically proficient album that infuses rock, metal and pop. Psychodrama isn't just an arbitrary name they came up with for the album. The three songs on the album are about main characters (Ocarina of Time, Life Aquatic, and one they created) that have had some type of dramatic experience relating to psychodrama. 

Bear Girl’s biggest strength is combining their technical skills with their creative process, which usually comes in the form of math rock. The knee-jerking rhythms that are near impossible to dance confuse the senses but are a blast to listen to.

The album kicks off with “Blue Ruby” which builds in complexity as it progresses. By the halfway mark you are treated to some pretty sick guitar playing that other players would be jealous of. The guitarist throws these little fills that a less skilled player wouldn’t have added. I enjoyed the first song but it is the second song “Osprey” where they take no prisoners. The song has an ample amount of changes, although they never stick around too long and is definitely a song for the ADD intensive. They rock, slow things down and amp things back up all in under four minutes.

Bear Girl closes with “Artic Night Lights.” The song starts with a soft lonesome guitar riff before it explodes without any cautionary clues. As with the other songs the guitar work is front and center but bass and drum work have some fine moments that will not go unnoticed (around 2:20 the drummer rocks out on tom drums while the bass player crawls all over the bass). 

Bear Girl is off to an impressive start. What the songs may lack in poppy hooks they make up for in creative, technically ambitious parts. Psychodrama delivers three solid songs that will catch your attention.

Become A Fan