Minus the Bear is a product of the first two tumultuous decades of this century.
From their first show in 2001 to their impending dissolution at the end of 2018, the
Seattle band thrived on the musical awakening in the era of the mp3, the internet,
poptimism, and the endless crosspollinations generated from an expanded
consciousness of new music forms. With the aim of sounding like “classic rock from
the future,” they initially forged their music from the dichotomous blend of David
Knudson’s prodigious finger-tapped guitar lines and Jake Snider’s cool-tempered
narratives set against a backdrop of souped-up dance beats. Throughout their
career, they’ve carried on the trailblazing traditions of ‘70s prog rockers and guitar-
centric indie rock pioneers of the ‘80s and ‘90s, but they’ve also always been a band
of new sounds. Synths, drum machine break beats, omnichords, and pedalboard
gadgetry all contribute to the band’s electronic flourishes. You can hear the
poptimist appreciation for a club banger, a new wave hook, or a solid hip-hop beat
in any number of their songs.
One of the first tracks written for their last album VOIDS was “Fair Enough”, a
reserved track that went through a variety of permutations before winding up on
the backburner. Like most Minus the Bear songs, it began as a loose framework of
interlocking guitar parts created by Knudson that quickly changed shape as the
other members contributed their parts. “It’s interesting because we tried re-doing it
twice in the studio,” says keyboardist/vocalist Alex Rose. “I was really into the first
new direction as it was very pop, but collectively it didn't seem to fit. Then we tried
a more ambient one… it just ended up being one of those songs that didn't beat the
others.” But as the band was digging through their archives earlier this year, they
stumbled upon an early version of the song. “It jumped out as sounding done,” Rose
recalls. “I touched up the mix, fixed a few edits and sent it to everyone while we
were on the recent Planet of Ice anniversary tour. The other guys all listened
together and by all accounts had ‘a moment.’ I think the song had taken on new
meaning after we decided to end the band.” Given Snider’s prescient lyrical lament
of lost passions and finding “the exact moment we turned it off,” it’s hardly
surprising to hear that the song resonates strongly within the group. Snider insists it
was written to eulogize a failed romantic relationship, but it’s hard to not hear the
lyrics as foreshadowing the band’s break-up.
The other three songs of Fair Enough are both a continuation and a culmination of
Minus the Bear’s diverse sounds. The adrenalized up-tempo drumbeats, lush
electronics, and nimble guitar work that initially set them apart from their peers
back in 2001 are on full display during “Viaduct”. The EP closes with a nod to their
ongoing remix collaborations, this time with a vibrant rave-up reinvention of
“Invisible” by Sombear.