Besides the latest albums from Fleet Foxes and Kurt Vile, there really hasn't been anything that's held my attention lately quite like this little gem from last year. Surprisingly released in late-Fall, this album is designed for carefree summer debauchery and well-spent time with great company.
Bear Hands developed their sound in the Brooklyn music scene which we've covered already with Animal Collective, TV on the Radio and Vampire Weekend. Yet it's MGMT, whom they've opened for, that they most closely resemble. Their brand of infectious psychedelic, dance-pop gets your feet tapping quickly and sends instant euphoric feelings that make you want more. Lyrically they're not as sharp as MGMT but I quickly give them a pass because I'm not listening to this album for lyrics. Give this album a spin and proceed to be in a great mood!
In the old format of this blog, I probably would've never gotten around to posting these guys. This new more-open structure, I think, is going to benefit those of us who are looking to feed our musical cravings on a more regular basis. Hope you enjoy Bear Hands.
Favorite Tracks: Belongings, What A Drag, High Society, Julien, Blood & Treasure
From what I've read, it seems that these guys went to school with the dudes in MGMT....there definitely must be something in the water there that leads those guys to create psychedelic, electronic pop. The similarities between the two are huge, but other than a few songs on MGMT's debut album, I actually like Bear Hands better, at this point. It took me about 20 seconds of the first song to get used to Dylan Rau's voice, but then I was locked into the groove that the drumbeat on "Crime Pays" contained. After just a couple of listens, I'd definitely have to say that "What a Drag" is my favorite song of the bunch. I really like the guitar tone on the song (almost sounds like Modest Mouse, a little bit), and the chorus really has that summertime feel that Justin was talking about.
ReplyDeleteI'll write a little more once I've digested the album a little better. How did you find out about these guys though, Justin? This band had definitely slipped right past me.
I found these guys thanks to Amazon. I was checking out some album, and as always, I scrolled through the "Customers who bought this item also bought" feature and there they were. Bands that have woodsy or animal names usually grab my attention because they normally fall under the folk or indie umbrella, which is right up my alley. The replay value for this album is tremendous, I listened to it at least 3 times in a row the first time around; getting better with each spin. I wanted to see if it grabbed anyone else the same way.
ReplyDeleteOn "Crime Pays," I think my initial reaction is I think you have to get used to this guy's voice. (Of course I said that about Passion Pit too...) I do like the music though, it sounds pretty upbeat, and I can see how it would get catchy. On "Belongings" and "High Society" they sound kind of like Phoenix to me. I'll probably come back to this after Bonnaroo...
ReplyDelete