Music Snitch

Bear Hands has been working on some new material at the Rumpus Room Studio in Brooklyn, and lucky for us, they taped it.  They also decided to have the audio mastered so they can share it with their fans.  Bear Hands‘ ‘Rumpus Sessions’ is four songs, one classic and three brand new, from their forthcoming debut record (release date unknown).

Take A Listen: Rumpus Sessions from Bear Hands

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: Rumpus Sessions (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

Bear Hands – Website

Yesterday I thought to myself, Bear Hands has to have announced a date for their full-length debut, it has been a long time coming and I’m getting rather impatient.  While I did not see any news regarding a debut album (bummer), I did notice a new video for their last single, “What A Drag”, and they are offering a few free track downloads.

Download: What A Drag (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

If you would like to pick up a couple more free Bear Hands tracks, including a Cale Parks remix of “What A Drag”, head here.

One of my favorite New York dwelling bands, Bear Hands, has been hard at work on their debut full-length album, which has yet to receive a release date (bummer, I know). And while there is currently no end in sight for this alleged album, Bear Hands, recently released a 7″ featuring a couple new tracks, “What a drag” and “Can’t Stick Em”.

Bear Hands has a few upcoming tour dates:
10/01 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/02 – Detroit, MI @ The Magestic
10/03 – Montreal, QC @ Pop Montreal Festival
10/04 – Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix
10/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
10/07 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/08 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/21 – New York, NY @ CMJ Festival
10/22 – New York, NY @ CMJ Festival
10/23 – New York, NY @ CMJ Festival

Take A Listen: What A Drag from Bear Hands

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can purchase the 7″ here.

I was hooked on Bear Hands after the first listen to their EP, Golden. I was pretty excited to see the Brooklyn band live at the dirty little Drunken Unicorn.  I was not however excited when I caught a glimpse of the opening band, ouch, my poor ears.  It was weird that a heavy metal-ish band was sharing the same stage as Bear Hands but perhaps they were a local band, I don’t know.  The crowd was rather dismal, so Bear Hands’ set didn’t have that vibe I would expect it would have if they played to a sold out crowd at Mercury Lounge in NYC.  Rau’s voice sounded good…I am a fan of the imperfections that come along with an unpolished vocal tone.  The band played well together and I often found myself watching the drummer and the bass player, who also lent a hand on percussions.

Their set-list was rather short on account of them having one album and it was pretty relaxed and casual.  I liked Bear Hands and believe that they will continue to get better as they age like fine wine.

Video: “Sickly Brunette” from Bear Hands

With a debut EP like this, Bear Hands should feel completely comfortable throwing their hat into the musical ring. The Golden EP is a well-rounded introduction to their character and consists of four tracks that are refreshingly rhythmic as well as lyrically intriguing. Bear Hands certainly has all their puzzle pieces present and accounted for.

The Golden EP is predominantly lo-fi, indie rock music loaded with guitar driven melodies and intelligent ironies. Although there are many, one notable element that seems to power Bear Hands like a solar powered rooftop is Dylan Rau’s pleasantly venomous voice. The rawness and purity of his vocal tone infects each song, especially the hooks, with an abnormally addicting affect. Compound Rau’s influence with Bear Hands compelling song arrangements and you get potent music that will get lodged in your brain for days. Even when their music alters the atmosphere into a heightened state, Bear Hands remains patient and hold tight to their nonchalant nature. Their youthfulness and originality transpires into an intangibly cool vibe that permeates through each song. Although they are just out of the gate, Bear Hands is dripping with potential and I for one will be impatiently awaiting their full-length album. Stand Out Tracks: Bad Blood & Long And Lean

* There is a fantastic Bear Hands’ song titled, Vietnam, which is not included on their Golden EP but you can and you should listen to it on their MySpace page.