Nowadays, rock music is divided into a wide plethora of subsets and genres. It’s next to impossible for any band today to fit into just one.
That issue isn’t a concern for Canadian band Bart which mixes pop, progressive rock and psychedelia without the slightest worry of being pigeonholed. With their recently released single “Yeah,” the band displays a mere sample of their unique, eclectic style.
Bart — Young Band, Fresh Sound
Bart came together in the early 2010’s in Toronto, Canada. The group consists of vocalists and guitarists Chris Shannon and Nathan Vanderwielen, drummer Jay Anderson, bassist Andrew Scott, and guitarist Lane Halley. In 2014, they released their debut EP, Bart by Bart, which was well-received by fans and critics alike. Following its release, they toured and preformed throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Then, after two long years, Bart released their long-awaited debut album, Holomew, this past April.
“Yeah” is the second single off of the album and there’s much to enjoy in this piece. It begins with a crescendo of droning electronic noise and mellow guitar lines. Then, Anderson and Scott create a cohesive, energetic rhythm with a mixture of throbbing bass riffs and pulsing drumbeats. The guitar riffs also undergo a transition from mellow and flowing to loud and slashing. As the song continues, the riffs from Halley, Shannon, and Vanderwielen become juxtaposed against each other and form an amalgamation of multi-layered sounds.
Meanwhile, the duo of Shannon and Vanderwielen deliver a harmonious union of echoing, spacey vocals. They add a serene, coolheaded tone to the piece that nicely contrasts with the riffs from the trio of guitarists. Past the two-minute mark, the guitar and bass riffs pause for a brief drum break accompanied by vocals. After this, the riffs return and are joined by a series of keyboard synth chords, as well. They continue steadily throughout the remainder of the song before it ends with a quick fade-out.
With “Yeah,” Bart takes listeners through an intricate maze of sound.
