Initially, Bison Hip is the result of a lockdown and a long-standing friendship. It shows the power of shared experience in a very creative and resilient way. The five-piece band from Glasgow, friends in their fifties, and members of the rock and roll community, not only of the city but of the world, are not nervous about the future; instead, they are very calm and reasonably confident of the fact that the future will be the same as the past, it will be full of truth. Their last single, "Chemicals," off the album "Everything That Came Before Was Leading Up To This," is such an accurate representation of what makes this band so unique; to sum it up in one sentence, soulful storytelling, heartfelt grit, and the kind of emotional weight that only comes from living it are what we are talking about here.
“Chemicals” sounds like it was built from life experience, rather than a studio where people only go to perfect their work, and the song is packed with musing and steadfastness. Instrumentally, it draws heavily on a traditional blues-rock framework, accompanied by a rhythm section that is alive and pounding, like a strong heartbeat, under very raw, expressive guitar lines. The work is very down-to-earth and quite warm, lauding the ruggedness of Glasgow, its grey clouds, its streets filled with drizzle, and the quiet fire that is burning inside everyone there, even though it might not be obvious.
Bison Hip’s “Chemicals” is about the internal battles that shape us, our emotions, desires, and fears, which often appear as reactions to situations that we hardly ever have complete control over. But rather than descending into despair, Bison Hip breaks down that turmoil for release in the form of a catharsis. This piece of work is about embracing human flaws and reaching a point where you can even find loveliness in them. The lead vocal, mature and heartfelt, is far from merely singing about hardship; it actually experiences it, therefore imparting more life to the words, making it the most genuine thing one can imagine.
One thing that made Bison Hip stand out to me was not just their musical ability, but also their unique viewpoint. After spending many years together as friends, the band members’ creative bond is mainly due to their faith in one another and their honesty. They are very well acquainted with each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and pasts, and this frankness is evident in every lyric and riff they perform. The band’s style is closest to the core of The Black Keys, Joe Bonamassa, or The Rolling Stones (when they’re going through their rougher phases), but with a distinctly Scottish soul, hence it is their sound and no one else’s.
“Chemicals” is a song that reflects the reality of the five men who make up Bison Hip. These men aren’t scared of facing the facts of life, such as aging, death, and hope, straight in the eye, while still maintaining their openness of both mind and heart. This, in fact, is the very reason why music that is of excellent quality is not the outcome of attempts to imitate youth but rather, the acceptance of the journey.
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