Spinner

Minus the Bear, 'My Time' -- Song Premiere

Minus the Bear
One of the most integral parts of any Minus the Bear jam is a twisty, complex Dave Knudson guitar line. But on 'My Time,' the first track from the Seattle, Wash. band's 'Omni,' due May 4, you won't hear one. In fact, you won't hear his guitar at all because Knudson's got a brand new toy.

"I got this weird Japanese Omnichord synthesizer, and we wrote a song around it. It's got drumbeats and different instrument sounds. It's got this weird Nintendo-y sound," Knudson tells Spinner. "Odd little piece of gear, but it's cool to be able to write a Minus the Bear song without me playing guitar."

The Omnichord -- manufactured in 1981 -- gives 'My Time' a shiny, vintage dance-pop sound, and it's not the only new trick up the Bear's sleeve. Produced by Joe Chiccarelli (White Stripes, My Morning Jacket) over a four-month period last year, Omni finds the band exploring its style like no album prior; it's Minus the Bear's most accessible and experimental effort yet.

"We all love 'Planet of Ice' in all of it's awesome prog-wankery," says Knudson of the band's 2007 LP. "But this record's got more of a groove to it. The tempos aren't frantic and locked in solid, with more of an R&B feel."

But Minus the Bear haven't quite gone Marvin Gaye; the band is still as effects-happy as ever, and each tune on 'Omni,' though tighter and more focused, will still spin heads and warp minds.

The album ranges from the hard-bounce of 'Secret Country,' which Knudson calls "the heaviest thing we've ever recorded," to the swooning neon sprawl of 'Dayglow Vista Rd.' with its chorus of "Everybody's gotta shine on." The album's veritable rainbow of sounds and styles is described best, Knudson says, by its title.

"The name of the record is what it is -- it's everything and nothing, our feeling like we captured a different side of us," he says. "We weren't trying to limit ourselves by any specific style or genre."

Nowhere does Minus the Bear shed any shell of a genre more than on the consecutive tracks 'Into the Mirror' and 'Animal Backwards.' Like a carnival mirror, the latter is a twisted, remixed and chopped up reflection of the former.

"There are three different guitar samples on 'Into the Mirror.' Those three samples are just played backwards in 'Animal Backwards,'" Knudson says. "If you listen to 'Animal' backwards, you'll hear the guitar of 'Mirror' forwards."

While the Omnichord occupied Knudson on 'My Time,' his guitar trickery remains at the core of the album; having collected more and more effects pedals as Minus the Bear's career trucks along, Knudson says he's "learned how to integrate myself with the pedals. I know how to manipulate the pedal, because sometimes the way you're not supposed to use it is the coolest way to use it."

Still, keeping track of his cache of guitar pedals onstage when the band tours behind 'Omni' may prove difficult.

"It'll be like playing 'Dance Dance Revolution' up there," Knudson says.

Check out 'My Time' below.

All the AOL Music info you want to know

Drake Sued: Ex-Girlfriend Seeks…

The Boombox

Barry Brecheisen, Getty Images Drake has already admitted to making his…

Catwoman Pepper Sprays Ozzy Osbourne in…

Noisecreep

Total Assault Things on Hollywood Boulevard get pretty weird on a routine…

Cake, 'Mustache Man (Wasted)' -- Video…

Spinner

Artist: Cake Video: 'Mustache Man (Wasted)' Highlight: "We knew from the outset…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

68 Comments

Filter by:
Rachel

if you guys like Minus the Bear, you should definitely check out Circa Survive if you haven't already. "Blue Sky Noise" is coming out soon, but they have it playing on myspace, and the album is already up for pre-order. Check it outtttt: www.myspace.com/circasurvive

April 14 2010 at 5:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brett

If youre a true "fan" of a band for how long you say you are then you should respect any new direction they take with their music. Minus the bear is the best. ever. I love every song. ever.

March 31 2010 at 12:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sczombie

i don't see why everyone's getting sad over this. minus the bear has always been one of my favorite bands and i've loved knudson since botch, and to me this song is just as good as anything else they've put out. sure this sounds cheerier than planet of ice but i am confident that these guys can still make a great album. i personally thought their two singles were fantastic and i usually like singles the least, so maybe something a little more saccharine is a good direction for them.

March 29 2010 at 11:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wintuckey

thought it was a little odd with the heavy keys. still sounds good though.

March 23 2010 at 2:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chemist

See I'm all for a band progressing and trying new sounds, but there are just certain things that draw me to certain bands. Knudson's guitar happens to be one of those things about MTB. It's like, that is the reason to put on a Minus The Bear record because I'm looking to hear something spacy and melodic. Like If I wanted to hear something upbeat and dancy/electro and I threw on a new Daft Punk record and it was an accoustic slow jam, I would be slightly confused.

Now that being said, I don't hate this song at all. It's actually improving with each listen, as most MTB does. And Into The Mirror, Broken China and Excuses all sound like what I have known to love about Minus The Bear. I think this album will be great and I can't wait, I was just caught off guard a little bit by this super upbeat song being the intro to the new album.

March 09 2010 at 1:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
k.

worst lyrics ive ever heard...
i used to relate to their lyrics and had to say that was one of my favorite parts about mtb..
but this? honestly?
make club hits then. so disapointed.

March 09 2010 at 10:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jpack

Agreed this song may be different but its only missing one guitar. it was a lot of fun to watch live when they played it in Pittsburgh. For some of the people who are complaining that this isn't like Menos, or planet of ice,Just listen to those albums some of us like new music and a new take on a favorite band. It still sounds like minus the bear to me.

March 08 2010 at 12:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sean Goddard

My Time is such a dope song. I can't understand how any MTB fan wouldn't like it. It's such a good choice for a single. So damn catchy and Jake's singing is the best i've heard from anyone in the scene right now.

Seriously I am so surprised people aren't eating this shit up. I guess it takes average folk about 20-30 listens to realize how damn good a song is.

March 07 2010 at 11:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sack

Everyone gets a little scared when their favorite band puts out a little preview of what's to come. Especially if its some new sounds, people can't take it.

Whatever; its Minus the Bear. It will be sweet and you can't judge something you haven't heard yet.

March 07 2010 at 11:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
steeeph

dont diss anything they do. they have the highest percent of good songs to crappy songs of any band of this genre. they have by far the most original songs names Of anyone besides frank zappa. also they fucking rock live.

March 06 2010 at 12:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply