With their EP Bust, Vancouver duo this is THE SHOES create a sound that wholeheartedly embraces the blues, with all the grit and jangle that makes it seem as if it came straight from the South. From the first track, “Backwards,” frontwoman Sabrina Robson takes command, her rough, growling vocals dominating the boot-stomping, hand-clapping drums and guitar provided by Jereme Collette.

With an in-your-face beat that keeps on going, “When The Sun Goes Down” has a bit more of a country twang to it, the lyrics taking on more clarity as Robson asks “If you wanna know / about a dirty little secret.” “Stuck” gives the listener a break from the grit, taking on more of an airy sound as a steady beat provides a platform to showcase the impressive vocal range of Robson, with honest, heartfelt lyrics proclaiming “nothing’s ever easy in this town.”


The band takes the opportunity to slow things down further with the next track, “Unfaithful”, with on-point vocals and a forlorn tone with emotional lyrics. The next track, “Long Gone,” starts off with the same slower feel, but soon goes back to the grittiness of the first two tracks, with bluesy harmonica and grungy guitar going along with the powerful, rough lyrics such as “Don’t need a man to dry my tears / don’t want a boy to save the day.” At almost twice the length of any other song on the album, the last track feels a bit drawn out, but has a strong variety throughout, separating it from the other tracks with a thick Western feel.
Bust has all the grit and blues one could ask for from just a pair of musicians, offering a full-bodied Southern sound overflowing with tenacity and soul.