Music #3 - Minus the Bear

Okay, so we are on the third instalment of our music posts, and we hope that so far you have been enjoying the music and artists that we have introduced you to.

Today, we are heading in a new direction again, with the fabulous indie rock band Minus the Bear.
Their music is very alternative, fantastically experimental, and ridiculously addictive.

The day we met Jake Snider (lead singer of Minus the Bear), November 2010.


I first discovered Minus the Bear through my fiance when we first met. Their upbeat, catchy, carefree and sometimes downright racy vibe got me straight away, and now their early music takes me right back to our first summers together - in fact, every summer together, as they seem to live on our stereo in the warmer months.

The first albums that I heard were Menos el Oso and They Make Beer Commercials Like This which offer a fantastic mix of beats and sounds, closely followed by our purchase of Planet of Ice which contains some of my very favourite songs.

It is really very difficult to explain just how good their stuff is, without hearing it for yourself, as it is just so different. So, I am going to let some of my favourite songs do the talking here:

Minus the Bear, 'Pachuca Sunrise' - from Menos el Oso.

Minus the Bear, 'I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien' 

- from They Make Beer Commercials Like This.

Minus the Bear, 'Throwin' Shapes' - from Planet of Ice.

Enough said I think! Don't they make you long for long, hot summer days and those super relaxing, romantic beach holidays? I just adore the lyrics in I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien, speaking of relaxing in the water, on a hot afternoon. They just ooze that super drained feeling you get in the heat of the sun...

And so Im swimming

More like floating

And I'll just stay out here

Until the night comes crashing down

And I swim out as far as I can

And float on my back

Just waitin' for nothin'

Not forgetting the inspiring lyrics in Throwin' Shapes, where they describe mother nature. These lyrics seem to have caused some controversy between fans, where everyone seems to have their own take on what it is about, especially seeing as so many of Minus the Bear's songs are about women, and love. Some say it is actually about a woman, others agree about mother nature, and others see it as a mix of the two - and all of this discussion is just testament to the thought-provoking and mysterious lyrics that they bring to the table time and again. So make of it what you will, these are my favourite of the lyrics...


Maybe come with me to the coast
And watch the way the rain comes down
Out of the shadows she's more passionate
We'll watch her roll in from the south


She'll wrap her sheets 'round us
Forget the sun


Moving from sea to land dancing
Swinging with the boats out there
She steps on toes if she wants to
No one's saying no, she wouldn't care


Amazing lyrics aside, what I also love about Minus the Bear is their laid back attitude, and clear passion for sound, which by now I am sure you can see, is very much reflected in their music. They don't take things too seriously, with their loopy song titles (point made above!), and the amount of different sounds that they experiment with and use - which often leave me wondering 'what on earth was that?!'. There are no confines, no pressures that they allow into their work, they just enjoy themselves and this is the product of that. Pure talent!

If we thought it couldn't get any better than this bunch of ear candy above, they released their latest album Omni in the Spring of 2010, and what an album it is! We listened to this album tirelessly that spring/summer, throughout the birth of Leaff, and during our much needed holiday afterwards, so it holds great memories for us.

I couldn't possibly choose a favourite off the album, they are all brilliant, but I am going to leave you with a live recording of them jamming My Time. This video shows you just how experimental their style is, their range of instruments, and exactly what I mean by 'racy' lyrics! It also gives you a sense of their incredible aura that they have about them when they play live. We have seen them many times, and every time I am blown away.

Minus the Bear, 'My Time' - from Omni.

Want more?...

Check out the Minus the Bear website: minusthebear.com
Keep up to date on Facebook: facebook.com/minusthebear
Follow them on Twitter: twitter.com/minusthebear
Listen more on Myspace: myspace.com/minusthebear

Next week is our fourth and final music post, so be sure to tune in then for the last instalment. As always, feel free to leave us your thoughts on this post - we love feedback.