2017 has gotten off to a great start for rock, particularly indie rock, and they keep on rolling out week after week. I had actually never heard of Minus The Bear before giving Voids a listen, but like a lot of unknown music I come across, I was drawn to the cover art work (these things matter). I’m glad I was because it’s quickly become of my favorite albums to drop so far this year and Minus The Bear has become a band that I’ll be on the look out for from now on.
Since this is their first album I’m hearing, I can’t compare the sound to any of their past work, but I really liked what I was hearing. It’s not really in your face rock with overly complicated riffs and complex drum patterns, instead it’s all handled with a much softer touch that allows their great guitar work to carry the load. Their sound is what I imagine when I think indie rock; they stick to the essentials of the genre, guitars, drums, and vocals, although they often employ this slick guitar wail in their songs that could pass as synths. “Silver” is the centerpiece of the album and my personal favorite, I love the guitar wails on “Tame Beasts”, and the bright radiance of “Invisible.” I thought “Erase” was a dud but outside of that song, everything was expansive, clean, and expertly structured.
“You’d steal the coins from my eyes if I was on that river
If I was on that river, you’d leave me no respite
Eyes open and blind, the wave on the tide
And you keeping time, keep floating down the line”
I found their songwriting to be pretty typical for an indie rock band and nothing that would set the world on fire, but their vocals were sharp and paired with the backing instrumentation perfectly. They don’t take themselves too seriously and know how to cut loose on the tracks. Voids just felt like an effortless affair that seamlessly blended all the various elements of their music to create one great sounding album. It was a great listen and one that will have me checking out what else they have to offer in their discography.
Have you heard Voids? What’d you think about it? Do you like this brand of indie rock? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your rating for the album.
