For a while now we’ve been easing into a new era – one of that of a Twitter famous band. Such groups usually gravitate more toward the pop spectrum, and through savvy tags and tweeting amass a small but dedicated group of followers that endorses the band’s every move.
One such group is Youngstown, Ohio based Spirit of the Bear.
What makes Spirit of the Bear standout from many of their counterparts is the sheer spectrum of their sound, along with the vibe falling generally closer to a funk epicenter than one of pop, though the pop vibe remains very strong. Album opener “Dying/Lying” eases into things with some ambient sounds, before assertively announcing their presence with a distinct bass groove.
The entirety of the record carries a mood that is decidedly easygoing, with subtle moments of aggression punching through. But they never really sound mad. Those moments just seem to exist to say “Hey bro, you should take us seriously. But now that we have your attention, relax and have a good time.” This is evident in “Why Don’t We Talk About It?” with the band’s driving drums and dreamy guitar and synth overlaid. Also in “White Flag,” the song has perhaps the most marked ebb and flow of the album thus far, with floating melodies jolting into an urgent ending.
“Lucana” is an album favorite. Any time there’s complex rhythms contrasted with a “vibey” sound effect it hits my ears’ sweet spot. The guitar hook here is the song’s trademark, and sounds familiar, somehow. The earworm of a tune is more of a jam than anything else. I’m not gonna lie, I’m writing this in 2018 and I’m now thinking I screwed up in not including this song in my top 100 of last year.
The band also shows their mastery of quiet moments in songs like “In Smoke” and “Like Life Paper”, which close out the record. The musicality isn’t that similar, but the feeling I get listening to these songs isn’t unlike listening to some early Bon Iver.
Spirit of the Bear seems to be poised to have a big 2018, based on murmurings that I’ve heard. Fade Into Blue is fortunately an album of substance that will back their momentum.
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