Featuring members of
Kill Sadie
,
Botch
, and
Sharks Keep Moving
, this northwestern-based quintet focus on making shockingly catchy as well as forward thinking
rock
, with just enough surprises to keep things original and not to many to make them seem like a novelty. Strong vocals that are occasionally reminiscent of a more laid-back
J. Robbins
lead the way, but it is the band that makes things work so well. Rocking from start to finish on the seven-track disc, the group weaves in wandering
Owls
-style guitar lines, and there are plenty of computerized noises that add a full feel to the effort. Lyrics about hard drinking and girls who can drink aren't exactly the most original idea, but they are actually pretty funny, as are many of the song titles, giving even more character to this already catchy record.
This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic
sounds nothing like a debut, and the seasoned members work so well together that it seems like something they've been doing for years.
Minus the Bear
fall into the quickly developing world of post-
emo
, and more than the fact that people should be happy that the genre is falling away, they should be even happier that this is what it has spawned. Intelligent and well-played
with a few surprises and addendums has its place, and this is pretty much how it should sound. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo