THE ENCIERRO:
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VOX/ SONGS/ ADDITIONAL GTARZ, ETC: SOUEY.
GTAR1/ MANDOLIN: JANEK KANIKULA.
BASS/ FX: JUNIOR.
DRUMS/ PERCUSSION: JOHN LIDDELL.
GTAR2/ SYNTH: SHOOGZ.
Few great indie rock bands are built without an enthralling story to boot. The Encierro (acronym N*C*R*O), a five piece from Stirling, Scotland are no exception. Since their impressive start in 2003 where they excelled and won the esteemed Stella Artois Battle of the Bands (astonishingly within four weeks of forming, a feat not at the grasp of many) they have crafted themselves an extraordinary tale of talented music, rapid success and sold out shows. Now, The Encierro are ready to unveil their superb first official mini EP Be Yourself, a single likely to further catapult the group. The band’s ambitious story continued when the Stella Artois achievement was rewarded with £1500 and studio time, allowing them to record their first EP ‘Idiot Rock N Roll’ at the Glasgow based Cava Studios, where prominent acts such as Mogwai and David Byrne had recorded before. The Encierro appear to have already had a stellar ride since their somewhat quirky inception in 2003 at a swimming pool in Los Christianos, but the new single only adds to this further. Souey, Janek Kanikula, Junior Bone, John Liddell and James 'shoogz' McDonald comprise the quintet and with the Be Yourself EP, really give us a taste of that journey with three tracks strong in melody, percussion and riffs that tell a story in themselves.
The Encierro’s new EP really is as accomplished a debut single as a band is likely to put out, with a level of musical maturity that really shines through. The band’s progress from past tracks such as ‘The Girls Only Go Where The Coke Is’ and ‘Broken Record’ may be attributable to settling on a line up that truly works for them, and the result is an EP that really excels. The quality of the two B-sides accompanying Be Yourself are a joy to behold in an age where the radio edit remix has taken over from the days where bands showcased unreleased material on their singles. Here The Encierro pull out all the stops. The production on the title track Be yourself is homely, merging the electric and acoustic sides of the song seamlessly. The song drifts dreamily through the chorus, with the acoustic structure complimenting Souey’s vocals perfectly leading to a strong riff driven chorus. As it develops, the track builds to a potent, percussion filled, slick guitar licked ending. An almost R.E.M. style track in its beauty and composition, with slightly more of a Britpop undertone.
There is also an unnerving quality about both the B-sides on this single, quality not usually seen on a debut EP. The first being a Manic Street Preacher-esque style rock track titled Esconde Mi Mente. An instantly catchy tune that coupled with the subtle maracas and the exquisite jangly flamenco guitar riff, gives this powerful song an intriguing Spanish twist. The second track is an equally well written if altogether more direct style indie track. Things Get Better! has a glorious electric guitar riff reminiscent of groups like The Kooks or The View. The strained vocals of Souey give the track a rough quality rarely heard since The Strokes and the tight percussion of John Liddell gives the song an upbeat air that has you moving uncontrollably.
The Encierro are due to release and perform their new single at the HMVstores and other reputable music stores. And this is only the beginning of what has already been a remarkable journey. The five-some have continued to spread their music nationwide, leaving a series of note-worthy venues completely sold out. The world famous Cavern Club and King Tut’s, renowned for pioneering emerging fresh bands, have succumbed to their particular brand of off-beat Britpop. The group have also notably played alongside bands of the magnitude of The Bluetones and The Shermans to name but a few. The band’s name (literally meaning the ‘lock-up’ in Spanish) refers to the notoriously dangerous Bull Run in Pamplona, Northern Spain, a furious pace that the group can relate to. Everything about The Encierro has you listening and wanting to know more, and given the rate they are hurtling towards stardom, this is a story that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
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