Question: If you have enough bad ideas, does it become a good idea? Like when you multiple two negatives, they make a positive. Does the same work for ideas? Well apparently it does work, because Minus the Bear just did it.
Bad Idea Number 1: Back in 2007 after their latest album Planet of Ice came out, lead singer Jake Snider stated that the band was going to change their sound. Now most bands say this and don't follow through, or don't change it much. But Snider then dropped the bombshell: Minus the Bear would record their next album "live style", where they would all play the track together and record it as that, with little to no corrections through ProTools. Minus the Bear is known for severe intricacy, most often found on 2005 breakthrough album Menos El Oso, so my first question is: How the hell are they gonna recreate some of their defining sounds?
Bad Idea Number 2: Right after the release of Planet of Ice, Matt Bayles decided to leave the band. He was the keyboard player and electronics creator for the bands first 2 albums, and had helped produce Planet of Ice. The band had credited him for helping define some of the sound for their first few albums, and Planet of Ice notably lacked an edge without him. Minus the Bear seemed to be floundering. They left their record label and began to record what would become OMNI without any financial support. I was worried, and I'm sure many people were also.
Why did we fear anything? Jake Snider was still here. Dave Knudson was still here. So was Erin Tate and Cory Murchy. The band was still together. And while the sound is certainly different on OMNI, it's not bad. It's actually really, really good. It's not as good as Menos El Oso, but then again not much is. The album begins with "My Time", a song that has more melody than in previous Minus the Bear songs. It's also the first single, and begins with scatting and then a keyboard intro. It's as if they knew our fears of less keyboard, and immediately assuage them. One of the albums many highlights. Usually I can pick a favorite song here, and although one stands clear above the rest, I've found myself coming back to different tracks and proclaiming them as one of the best each time I listen. The next song is "Summer Angel" which is the track that stands out clearly above the rest. This song challenges previous Minus the Bear songs "Pachuca Sunrise" and "Hooray" as their best song. The lyrics on this song are some of the best in years, and the guitar is great. The new live style is also really great here, and this song has a loose groove that wouldn't sound as great if it was pinched together. "Secret Country" is a song that lags a bit until the end, where the sharp guitar work by Knudson saves it from being a low point on the album. It's forgettable, and not a song I've come back to often. The next song "Hold Me Down" starts slow, but builds up quickly. It's also one of the sadder, more depressing songs they've written, but also very sentimental. The lyrics are a standout as usual, and the melodic chant at the end bring a catchy feel that make the song memorable. "Excuses" finds Snider singing "Running out of excuses but we know what the truth is, I'm into you, I'm into you. When you hear this song, you say you knew all along, you're into me too". It's catchy, and typical Minus the Bear. Nothing stands out here, it just helps the album flow along. One thing I've noticed is that the live style hasn't disappointed me as much as I thought it would. Sure, it doesn't allow for some of the back and forth guitar echoing found all over Menos El Oso, but it also allows for a lot of creativity and inter-band play.
One of the weirder songs is next, and it's called "The Thief". We finally hear more synth on this song, as it's been pushed into the background a lot. A solid track, nothing great here, but nothing bad. "Into the Mirror" contains a repeating guitar riff, as Snider's vocals are pushed into the background behind it. The end of the track is extremely notable, as it features female vocals, something previously unheard in a Minus the Bear song. It brings a different touch to the song, and the lyrics are a conversation between Snider and the girl. Turns out the girl is Rachel Flotard, lead singer of female rock band Visqueen. It's definitely a different feel, and it's original. The last bit of the track is purely instrumental until the last 10 seconds. Minus the Bear has become famous for long outro's, and this one doesn't disappoint. "Animal Backwards" is another standout for me, as the lyrics here are great and the instrumentation harkens back to Menos El Oso days. Snider sings "She is a wolf looking through my window" with sharp and angry delivery. I'm pretty sure this is the first song not record with the live style, as it is clearly ProTooled. New band member Alex Rose, who replaced Matt Bayles back in 2007, sings backing vocals here and he's not bad at all. Another good track follows, called "Dayglow Vista Road" which begins with an extended intro and contains more of the same. It's enjoyable, yet slightly forgettable. There isn't many things vocal wise happening here, and the instrumentation is familiar and doesn't stand out. The album closes with "Fooled By The Night" which is actually an amazing track if you can get past the first 2 minutes. The song starts slow, very quiet before moving into a flurry of vocals from Snider and great guitarwork by Knudson before finishing just as quietly as it started.
To be honest, I had low expectations about OMNI. I didn't decide to buy it until a week after it's release, strictly because I didn't know what to expect. Would I come out of hearing it hating Minus the Bear, feeling let down that they couldn't replicate past success? I feared that, but it didn't happen. The album is very different, and if you're looking to get into Minus the Bear, this isn't for you. The only tracks I could imagine a new listener enjoying on first listen are "My Time" and "Summer Angel". It's not a bad album, but it sure as hell isn't Menos El Oso, which is one of my favorite albums ever. The benchmark was too high, and while OMNI is a good album, it's not great. It's tough being measured to an amazing piece of work like their previous albums, but that's the price Minus the Bear will have to pay for making great work previously. I'm sure they'll be fine with that.
Final Grade: B
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