There are only eight species of bear in the world today, the Alaska-dwelling Kodiak bear being a sub-species of the Brown Bear. But whichever species or sub-species you may come across (on TV documentary rather than up-close-and-personal I hope) you know you are dealing with a member of the bear family. Blind Atlas offer a dozen songs with a fair degree of variety on their self-released debut album but all are recognisably members of the broad Americana family –mid-tempo country-rock (‘For Carol’), bluegrass duet (‘The Ballad of Uncertainty In The Key Of F’), even 70s dirty-blues boogaloo (‘Fourth Street’), all shot through with resignation and heartbreak.
The twelve songs of their ‘Mancunian-Americana’ here are all originals but four have been previously released on singles (and I’ve heard some live as far back as 2008/9 including this one I caught live in 2010). So there’s a high degree of familiarity as well as the recognisable conventions of the genre(s). But Blind Atlas possess a steely, timeless conviction in their delivery– which is less about attaining ‘authenticity’, more about a meticulous, heartfelt mining of emotions. And this is what makes this album such a success, even if a mournful one at times, and best taken with a bottle of whisky close by.
Many words have been written describing the decade-spanning reference points for Blind Atlas (“think Ryan Adams fronting The Black Keys, or perhaps Fleet Foxes with a Led Zeppelin fixation...” ) plus in their 2010 interview on these pages the band members revealed even more diverse musical inspirations including Calexico, Stravinsky and Radiohead. Despite this and some of the variety listed in the songs in the opening paragraph and in the strange, primal pounding of ‘Ironwall’, the majority of songs operate in a mid-tempo, maudlin gear. One of the stand-out newer (to me) songs ‘Damned Words’ is as personal and as wretched as anything the band have written. Everything aches beautifully – Ross Thompson’s nearly-cracking vocals, the golden steel guitar, the faint distant hum of organ, the slow elegiac viola. ‘Brother Moon’ is more steely and mysterious, a mantra-like chorus that is more ambivalent than the casual greeting appears written down (“hello Brother Moon”) with passages of searing electric guitar and organ.
Music like this may not be as endangered or as in short supply as Alaskan bears but as with those creatures there’s something regal, proud and powerful about Blind Atlas’s music. A long-player that has been a long time coming but now it’s here it is one to savour. Preferably with a strong drink in hand to console a heavy heart.
Blind Atlas Kodiak Bear [BUY]
It's only a few months since they 
The first disappointment was seeing the band had been bumped off headlining slot. WTF?! Could see we were going to get a condensed set because of this. Then as the band took to the stage, the second disappointment was realising they were without drummer Jonny Helm. He was replaced tonight by Dave Beauchamp who actually filled in remarkably well; he has a more gentle skiffle-like style which suited the quieter numbers. And this was the main and REAL disappointment of the evening: by the time The Wave Pictures came on the crowd seemed to consist of mates of the earlier bands and those hanging about for the club night followed. The band and the sparse group of folk who were there to listen to those quiet songs had to battle against a wave of chatter and laughter that was frankly out of order. If you are not there to listen to the band, sod off somewhere else so everyone else can.
So being put in such a foul mood by struggling to listen to gentle songs like "If You Leave It Alone" against the rising background noise was not the best way to enjoy this gig. The band seemed to take it in their stride with lead singer David laughing it off. They also responded by switching to faster, noisier songs. Whilst it was great to hear some of these ("I Love You Like A Madman" was excellent: powerful and passionate) it was not the gig I'd signed up. And the predictions about a short set were realised: we only got nine songs. But from those in the crowd who were there to see the band there was some top sining along to the chorus for "Strange Fruit For David".
So a promoter and an audience who appeared to treat the band with disdain = a major disappointment. Apologies on their behalf to The Wave Pictures, they deserve better. Manchester owes you.