I have all Minus The Bear’s records. I have seen them over ten times in 3 different states. These things would normally qualify me as being among their biggest fans. The truth of the matter, however, is that I’m not even sure I really like them. Sure, I was in love with their debut and followed them closely afterward, but all of that had somewhere along the line lost it’s significance to me.

Until today.

What they’ve accomplished up to this point has seemingly only served to lay a reasonably significant foundation for what is to come. Whether it’s R&B, or disco, or whatever, something has inspired a change in Minus The Bear’s sound. It’s still easy to imagine fingers tapping strings, and toes tapping pedals, as they have throughout MTB’s career. With their new single ‘Into The Mirror’, however, there is a new energy that is making their sound much more dynamic. Repetition is a quality of disco music that perpetuates resonance and introspection; and it is the high pitched guitar tapping repetition that drives the uptempo beat of this particular track. But unlike Jaguar Love, or Neon Neon, they aren’t transforming so much as evoking qualities to accentuate what’s there. Same goes for R&B. The vocals have become more tonally aware. The melisma isn’t as urgent as it is sensual. Again, what’s always been there on previous records still remains; but it’s being accentuated with some careful consideration of the boundaries of their sound.

One could argue with reason that older albums, namely Highly Refined Pirates, have adopted a new quality within the context of the band’s career that serves to discredit their genius, their significance. But if time has had any effect on Minus The Bear’s past, I find it most evident in this new single. ‘Into The Mirror’ is a wake up call to those who may have written them off. It indicates that, musically, Minus The Bear still have something significant to say; and they still have an incredibly appealing way of saying it. Maybe this is much ado about one single song; but if it’s any indication of where they’re going with their new record, you’d be silly not to be excited.

Minus The Bear – Into The Mirror

‘Into The Mirror’ is due out the 27th of this month, and hopefully they’ll bring it, as well as some other new ones, to the WOW Hall when they play October 30th.