There was a period during 2007 when, virtually all day, every day, I got to listen to what ever music I wanted to. I was working in a job I hated, but the freedom to listen to the music I love made it considerably easier.
Minus the Bear’s third album, ‘Planet of Ice’ released that year, was on the very heaviest of rotations. For two and a half months, I listened to that record every day, somehow, never becoming remotely bored of it. Now, two and a half years later, it easily places in my favourite 3 albums.
So to say that ‘Omni’ arrived bearing the weight of my expectations would, indeed, be putting it mildly.
It is worth noting that this is the first Minus the Bear full length not to be produced by former member Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis) but by Joe Chicarelli (Radiohead, The Shins, err.. Kajagoogoo) as this change, in hindsight at least, appears to have been a signal of intent
Judging by the two pre-release singles; ‘Into the Mirror’ (and it’s b-side ‘Broken China’) and ‘My Time’ it was clear that ‘Omni’ was going to be much lighter in tone, and perhaps depth, than it’s predecessor, the opening salvo of the aforementioned ‘My Time’, ‘Summer Angel’ and ‘Secret Country’ (the latter featuring a little cod-reggae guitar work) are three of the sunniest, barbeque-and-beer inducing songs you are likely to hear all year.
This, is, without question, a big Pop album, much slicker (in a kind of 80’s Miami Vice kind of way – when they tour I wouldn’t be shocked to see them in white suits, no socks, sleeves rolled up) and more accessible than it’s predecessors , it’s also very synth heavy affair, and drum machines play a much larger part than ever before (not to say that the live drumming isn’t still skattishly exemplary, at times, reminiscent of The Police’s Stuart Copeland, which is no bad thing).
‘Omni’ is short of, amongst other things, any real lyrical variety. Minus the Bear have always written, what are essentially, fundamental inconsequential songs about the fairer sex, but previous records have strayed from that subject, this record does not. This habit becomes particularly cringe worthy during the otherwise enjoyable ‘Excuses’ when front man Jake Snider sings ‘I’m into you…when you hear this song, you’ll say…you’re into me too”. It may just be me, but I cannot stand songs that refer to themselves as such in anything but title.
The two tracks that close the album, Minus the Bear at their laid back best, ‘Dayglow Vista Rd.’, and ‘Fooled by the Night’ floating over you, the perfect soundtrack to a long summer night.
Ultimately though, Omni is the weakest Minus the Bear album to date; it lacks the urgency of ‘Highly Refined Pirates’, the warmth of ‘Menos el Oso’ and the intricacy of ‘Planet of Ice’, and any real defining qualities of it’s own. Which is a damn shame. Having said that, it is still a Minus the Bear record, so I will be listening to it. All. Bloody. Summer.
It’s worth having a listen to the instrumental version in the download section of minusthebear.net, to hear Secret Country in all it’s awesomeness well, if you’re a raging fan boy that is.
Minus the Bear’s third album, ‘Planet of Ice’ released that year, was on the very heaviest of rotations. For two and a half months, I listened to that record every day, somehow, never becoming remotely bored of it. Now, two and a half years later, it easily places in my favourite 3 albums.
So to say that ‘Omni’ arrived bearing the weight of my expectations would, indeed, be putting it mildly.
It is worth noting that this is the first Minus the Bear full length not to be produced by former member Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis) but by Joe Chicarelli (Radiohead, The Shins, err.. Kajagoogoo) as this change, in hindsight at least, appears to have been a signal of intent
Judging by the two pre-release singles; ‘Into the Mirror’ (and it’s b-side ‘Broken China’) and ‘My Time’ it was clear that ‘Omni’ was going to be much lighter in tone, and perhaps depth, than it’s predecessor, the opening salvo of the aforementioned ‘My Time’, ‘Summer Angel’ and ‘Secret Country’ (the latter featuring a little cod-reggae guitar work) are three of the sunniest, barbeque-and-beer inducing songs you are likely to hear all year.
This, is, without question, a big Pop album, much slicker (in a kind of 80’s Miami Vice kind of way – when they tour I wouldn’t be shocked to see them in white suits, no socks, sleeves rolled up) and more accessible than it’s predecessors , it’s also very synth heavy affair, and drum machines play a much larger part than ever before (not to say that the live drumming isn’t still skattishly exemplary, at times, reminiscent of The Police’s Stuart Copeland, which is no bad thing).
‘Omni’ is short of, amongst other things, any real lyrical variety. Minus the Bear have always written, what are essentially, fundamental inconsequential songs about the fairer sex, but previous records have strayed from that subject, this record does not. This habit becomes particularly cringe worthy during the otherwise enjoyable ‘Excuses’ when front man Jake Snider sings ‘I’m into you…when you hear this song, you’ll say…you’re into me too”. It may just be me, but I cannot stand songs that refer to themselves as such in anything but title.
The two tracks that close the album, Minus the Bear at their laid back best, ‘Dayglow Vista Rd.’, and ‘Fooled by the Night’ floating over you, the perfect soundtrack to a long summer night.
Ultimately though, Omni is the weakest Minus the Bear album to date; it lacks the urgency of ‘Highly Refined Pirates’, the warmth of ‘Menos el Oso’ and the intricacy of ‘Planet of Ice’, and any real defining qualities of it’s own. Which is a damn shame. Having said that, it is still a Minus the Bear record, so I will be listening to it. All. Bloody. Summer.
It’s worth having a listen to the instrumental version in the download section of minusthebear.net, to hear Secret Country in all it’s awesomeness well, if you’re a raging fan boy that is.
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