MINUS THE BEAR rips some jams more than worthy of MY TIME

it’s what you want, it’s what you need, and i’m just the same, baby

Minus The Bear’s “Pachuca Sunrise” (below) is hands down one of my favorite songs of the last 10 years and so it’s no surprise that the band’s follow-up album left me underwhelmed. Expectations were high. True, the angular dance riffage of the fantastic Menos el Oso had given way to a darker side on 2007′s aptly named Planet Of Ice but their signature sound was still loud and clear. You see, Minus The Bear are a band who are here to rock but you have to meet them halfway. Their beats are equal parts catchy and spastic as ripping guitars and pounding drums herk and jerk alongside Jake Snider’s smokey-smooth vocals. Anyway, I clearly have a dirty thing for Minus The Bear and you should too so get caught up with a few favorites below. I’ve already mentioned my passion for “Pachuca Sunrise” and if you have ever floated high on a cloud of love then you may feel the same way. “Absinthe Party…” is from their first LP – and a time when they tended toward absurd(ly) long titles – and was, until recently*, the best tale of touring Europe with a lover. Listening to it now it’s clear how much these guys have evolved and honed their sound. There is no better example then the recently released ”My Time” from the forthcoming Omni. Fuzzed out bongos lead the way into a bouncey/bendey soundscape of classic MtB noises that are deftly held together with those unique vocals. The aural treats abound as “My Time” goes on to show that these guys are back and ready for good times. I’m liking this return to their more upbeat vibe and definitely looking forward to Omni.

♫ Minus The Bear – Pachuca Sunrise / Menos el Oso, 2005

♫ Minus The Bear – Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse / Highly Refined Pirates, 2002

*(Title now held by Local Natives’ “Camera Talks”)

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