WHO?! Yeah I thought so too. In the underground music scene there are
some absolutely blistering talents that really never get much breathing space in the majority of peoples tastes. This of course not necessarily being a bad thing, as some bands either want it that way, or just sound a hell of a lot better that way. So in an age where a lot of rock's music is concentrated one the poppish remakes of a far successful band, you can get hung for downloading songs for bands that could just be the next best thing for all the right reasons and still America rules the roost, there are those bands that have had enough of the superficiality worn like a suit of armour on the music industry, and have kept their heads down low, worked hard and supplied some great music.
One of the newest bands to be doing this are Minus the Bear. This, their debut album, is a startling mix of indie/hardcore and ambient dance music. Yes you heard right, they are somewhere between Blur and Biffy Clyro to be honest, and with this record show great potential to become something very special.
Using obscure titles to their songs at their main focal point, really it's possibly best to describe their music. It's not like its Dillinger Escape Plan frantic riffs and breaks, but it is a love of obscure and simplicity in a way you think you've heard before but really you haven't, making this a really original record. 'Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!" is a wonderfully flowing mix of clean guitars, subtle drum n bass and ambient sounds which could be samples or guitar, really it doesn't matter, and it's fantastically catchy chorus, it really just makes you want to dance, but not too much.
Despite the great dance worth new-wave feel to this music, there is a very dark, serious mood to it all. Jake Snider's voice is wonderful, meaningful, passionate, and great for the music surrounding him. 'Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse' is a fantastic example of this, and he uses a range of vocal talents and deep, meaningful lyrics that really can't go a miss.
What is also really interesting about this band is the way they give little instrumental tasters of tracks that could be right next to it or just before it, or in a completely different part of the album; some may even have nothing to do with it, just sound good. In their arty fashion the Seattle crew are showing new ways to dance, new ways to
make the music important, and heartfelt, passionate, original.
There's not really much room for complaint here, it's on the verge of flawlessness, but there is the fact that despites its dark yet feel good approach, there isn't a lot of change through the album, mind, but at 45 minutes, 5 tracks being short intervals, really, it goes too fast for it to be a problem, and it doesn't just drag on.
So all in all this is a masterpiece, not much to complain about, about this original, fresh work from this hard-working Seattle band, it may not change your life, but for 45 minutes, it will make it worth living for a bit longer.
Adam Turner-Heffer
