The Last Bison began their existence as a folk collective called Bison from Chesapeake in Virginia with last year’s Quill, but since they’ve signed to a major label, undergone a pseudo name-change (happening more & more these days, as seemingly every regular name has already been claimed by some Finnish death-metal act or something…), and have been reworking some Quill songs along with making new ones for their Universal Republic debut full-length. But before the LP comes to the EP, Inheritance, with three reworked pieces & one new one.
Two things immediately come to mind with Inheritance opener “Switzerland”: that The Last Bison are gonna be a successful Americana band, and that it sounds an awful lot like Mumford & Sons (QRO live review). Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, and indeed a lot right, as Mumford & Sons are so popular for a reason, but it can feel a little too obvious.
Yet interestingly The Last Bison shift for the other three songs on Inheritance. The new “Distance” is more wrought and expands the size, while the reworked “Dark Am I” goes for tragic & strings, and reworked “River Rhine” has vocal harmonies & accordion. None display the more radio-friendly nature of “Switzerland”, and signal that the group can definitely do more.
Really just a taster of an EP, Inheritance does leave a good taste in your mouth & looking forward to more.
The Last Bison – Switzerland
