Minus the Bear leaves something to be desired.
Long-time fans rejoice, newcomers, look elsewhere.
Minus the Bear
Omni
Released on May 04, 2010
There has been, and always will be bands that can do no wrong in my eyes. They are bands I have loved for years and I absorb everything they have to offer, even when others hate it. Minus the Bear has to fall into the either love or hate category of bands. You’ve either loved them for years, or you were late for the bandwagon and could do without. Unfortunately, I feel I could do without.
With the release of Omni, the band marks their largest pop sensibility to date. With catchy songs like “My Time” and “Secret Country” Minus the Bear is reaching for the Top 40 Billboards limelight. Other tracks like “Excuses” and “Into the Mirror” feature the signature sounds of swirling guitars and laidback melodies. However, this new spin on the Minus the Bear sound is much more accessible and listener friendly than their efforts of past.
The
band has stretched its creativity on tracks like “Summer Angel”
that feature a much more driven guitar sound which I completely attribute
the their producer Joe Chiccarelli. Chiccarelli has previously
worked with bands like The White Stripes and My Morning Jacket and this
is his first production with the band. Omni also includes
some very surprising songs like the complete leftfielder, “Animal
Backgrounds” which sounds like a B-side Crystal Castles track. Altogether,
the album is well crafted and has a great flow from beginning to end
that allows the listener to really get lost within it.
However, something about Minus the Bear always makes me feel like somethin’s missin’. Whether it be Jake Snider’s monotonic emotional delivery or the sometimes-elementary lyrical content, something about the whole album feels somewhat silly. I’m left with the notion that they are a very talented math rock group, which happens to have a singer. Snider’s vocal inflection is just another calculated and somewhat sterile part of the whole equation which doesn’t move me in anyway. In some parts of Omni, the band takes the deep driving synth leads to a horribly hokey and forced place that further discredits this album for me.
Altogether, if you’re a longtime Minus the Bear fan this album will continue your ongoing love affair. If you’ve loved their past albums, then you will really be able to appreciate how this band continues to grow and push their boundaries. However, if you stand anywhere on the fence with me, this album will continue to make great background music yet fail to make it into your regular rotation.
High Point
Upbeat, easy listening tracks such as "Into the Mirror" or "Summer Angel."
Low Point
The album too far with the pop sensibilty on tracks like "My Time" and "Animal Background."
Posted by Shelby Pollard on May 04, 2010 @ 5:30 am