Summer time is often that time of year when you can’t walk for thirty feet without hearing some sort of music coming from somewhere. Whether it be a small gig in a local pub, a packed out field with flashing lights and pyrotechnics or just a group of kids strumming an acoustic guitar around a couple of empty cans, you can’t get away from it. It brings smiles to people’s faces, whether from enjoyment or to seeing the drunk bloke who lives down the road doing a little jig, it just cheers people up. And more often than not this summer, that band would have been Hunter And The Bear, a London based three piece who have had a hell of a hectic summer, but are reaping the rewards now the clouds have made their return.

Fresh from a summer that saw them gig all over London and play with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Kasabian at Hard Rock Calling, the folk rock trio are now ready to unleash their debut E.P, Dusty Road. At a time when folk rock is at it’s most sought after for decades, the band have timed it to perfection, and following the recent news that Mumford and Sons are set to take a break from music, Hunter And The Bear could be the heirs to their throne atop the kingdom of British folk rock. Tracks full of raw emotion, enough energy to make the duracell bunny look like a lazy stop out and a DIY ethic to put other bands to shame, Hunter And The Bear have the exact hand needed to make sure 2014 builds on the groundwork they set this year.

Dusty Road seems destined to make people sit up and take notice. Consisting of four tracks that each have their individual qualities to set them aside from each other, the only complaint is that it is only four songs. Opener and lead single Forest On The Hill is three minutes of punchy acoustic goodness, with the husky vocals giving the track some strength while harmonies in the background make for a soothing, gentle start to the record. Second track The North is more of a sombre affair, with beautiful flowing strings adding another dimension to their already versatile collection. Lead singer Will’s southern drawl-esque vocals act as the ideal voice to capture the story, which makes you want to jump on a horse and head straight for the sun.

Title track Dusty Road is the most melodic song on the E.P, with a soft opening minute and a half featuring some docile acoustic quality before the foot tapping instrumental chorus kicks in, giving a full blooded folk sentiment about the song as the strings make a triumphant return and close the song emphatically. Closing tune Taliesin is a more up tempo affair, with a joyful feeling a constant throughout to keep a cheesy grin a permanent fixture before a huge ending with gang vocals.”You are not alone, brothers we will roll”. Alone they are not, and brothers they are. It’s not so much a roll Hunter And The Bear are currently on, more of a full steam ahead that will see the group take 2014 by storm. Dusty Road comes out on 28th October.