“Volcano The Bear have produced some of the finest, wildest British music of the last 10 years on record and on stage…” (The Wire, Jan 2006)
“No one sounds, has sounded or will ever sound quite like Volcano the Bear.” (Losing Today)
"...ultimately they sound like nothing else…An inspired use of sonic material…” (The Wire, 'Classic Erasmus Fusion' review)
“…what Colin Turnbull’s field recordings were to Pygmy music, this music ('The Idea Of Wood') could be to a mysterious race of backwoods British dwarves.” (Dusted)
From Avanto Festival 2007, Helsinki:
"Volcano The Bear...combines improvisation and playful experimentation with a conception of music that borders on the anthropological. Their extensive knowledge of the traditions of both experimental and folk music, combined with their other influences, makes the band a difficult one to categorise. Although VTB has been mentioned in connection with bands such as Vibracthedral Orchestra, Jackie-O Motherfucker and No-Neck Blues Band, VTB differs from the aforementioned as it consciously avoids the trance-inducing pulse in its music. Rather than trying to reach a trance through repetition they set up a ritual space where a large number of instruments associate freely. Absurd humour and eclectic ways of producing sounds are characteristic of VTB's live performances, which are largely built on improvisation. Familiar themes can be introduced as milestones on a journey towards a result, which remains unknown. The band records everything they play, and uses these recordings as raw material for their albums. For Volcano The Bear, post-processing is part of composing; their records are reminiscent of how This Heat and Faust used collage methods in rock music...The surprise element of their performances is further emphasised by the fact that their records - combinations of disciplined studio work and recorded improvisation - often sound nothing like the music played by the band on stage.
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