Band of the Week: Minus the Bear

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Fun Fact: Prior to lending his melodic tapping to Minus the Bear, virtuosic guitarist Dave Knudson was a founding member of the revolutionary hardcore outfit Botch. Other MTB members were previously in a rival hardcore band called Kill Sadie.

Why It's Worth Watching: Trading violent screamo thrashing for mellow arrangement, the men of Minus The Bear create a pleasant culmination of lighthearted melody and tireless rhythm.

For Fans Of: Circa Survive, Cursive, These Arms Are Snakes

They say that it is the journey, not the destination, that is most important in life. Seattle's Minus the Bear couldn’t agree more. That is, of course, since the band's recent acquisition of a tour bus. “We’ve paid our dues with the whole band-in-a-van thing,” says bassist Cory Murchy, “If I never have to squeeze into a tightly packed van with five other guys, I’ll be okay with that.”

One might assume that the mounted flat screens, X-Box 360 and the hallway of beds would amount to all the thrills of a hotel suite on wheels, but for the simple men of MTB, it is the availability of bicycles that thrills them. “Nothing gives you a sense of a city and its people more than riding a bike through it,” Murchy says. “I always wanted the luxury of toting around my wheels, but vans don’t really cater to that. It’s definitely my road-therapy to get out an explore.”

The upgrade in transportation isn’t the only improvement to the morale of the alt-rock five-piece. Recent appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and MTV2 have propelled the insouciant rockers into a spotlight rarely seen by musicians encoded with such credible indie DNA as theirs. “When we first started to assemble, we had so many ideas that didn’t apply to the other bands we were in, so it was such a release when it all came together,” Murchy says. “Eventually our other groups broke up and we were soon able to focus all of our attention on this, and obviously, we feel that this is our true calling.”

Their melodic-yet-driving compositions create aural landscapes filled with entrancing polyrhythmic guitar work, nostalgia laced lyricism and a click-tight rhythm section. The band’s laid-back demeanor and seasoned mastery is truly a culmination of the swagger of hungry, young musicians and the wit of well-traveled old men. Murchy explains, “We’ve all been playing music together for so long, it’s like we already know where each other is going to take it even before it happens. We now try to let the songs come naturally, leaving nothing forced. It makes for really organic and exciting writing sessions.”

Following the recently released Acoustics EP and currently amidst a fall tour, Minus the Bear has already been in talks of recording its next full-length album. “We have a lot of ideas bouncing around,” Murchy says, “and none of us have any clue what will come of them and what they will sound like on wax. We’re really going to test some waters and push some boundaries on this next record, and we’re just as curious as our fans are as to what it will sound like.”

Listen to Minus the Bear's "Pachuca Sunrise" from Acoustics: