The previous Minus the Bear album, Highly Refined Pirates, was a total mixed bag—true, it had wonderful, complex instrumentation; killer, original song titles ("I Lost All My Money at the Cock Fights"); and a good ear for power-pop choruses. But it was also beset by a desire to be more complex than was due; the simple choruses had no business being attached to the glimmers of complex brilliance the band was laying down. This stilted nature lead me to write them off as "meh, Indie" (and mind you, I love indie music).
Don't let the same be said this time around. From the very first moment "The Game Needed Me" starts stuttering its way out of the speakers, it is obivous that some changes have been made. For one, they're pulling their best Pedro the Lion impression. For another, they have developed some much-needed pop sensibilities along the way. It almost sounds like there isn't any need to prove themselves, they're just free to make music.
"Memphis and 53rd" (the outrageous song titles are gone this time) continues the trend, settling into a Sublime-styled back beat overlayed with the standard Minus the Bear plucking. Then the chorus hits. As the guitars strum furiously, singer Jake Snider croons along on top, for once not dragging down or braking a song. It is buttery smooth. At the exact right time, he steps up an octave, and lets the song swell into a dramatic, climactic, finisher.
"Drill" brings things back down a bit. That wonderful instinct for the four minute song has vanished, as has the ease of the first two tracks. The old Minus the Bear tradition of stutter beats and autistic finger plucking come back to play. The chorus drops into the standard power-chord mid-tempo strum. Then a bridge riff, which is really just Snider yanking his hand back and forth along the neck of his guitar. Then the open, reverb-heavy bridge, that stretches away into nothingness. Yawn.
Article comments
1 - Rah
"And there it stays, stuck back in comfortable Minus the Bear territory. "The Fix" starts like Q and Not U, but drags the moment Snider starts singing."
Dearest Josh, don't take from Pitchfork when trying to review a record. Especially when Pitchfork's review is directly above yours on Google. Thanks in advance.
Rah
2 - shmeigal
Did you even listen to the music? A music critic should listen to the music first, then the lyrics last, and, if not, incoorperate the lyrics with the music. In other words, don't listen to the actual words being sung, only listen to how they are sung with the music. It's all about the music, and it's not what you sing, but how you sing it, and the members of Minus the Bear understand this and write their music by this notion. Therefore, a review on their music should only be written by someone who understands this as well. You criticize the lyrics of... Pachuca Sunrise? Please. That song is perfect instrumentally and vocally. This is not an attack of any kind, but rather criticism for your criticism from one indie rock fan to another. Understand music before writing a review on it.