They Make Beer Commercial Like This

Minus the Bear | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arena Rock
• ASIN: B0002C4ICW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,339 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fine + 2 Pts.

2. Let's Play Clowns

3. Dog Park

4. I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien

5. Hey! Is That A Ninja Up There?

6. Pony Up!

Editorial Reviews

This is the third release from Seattle's Minus The Bear, who construct their sound from guitar tapped melodies, textural electronics, an airtight rhythm section, and vivid melodic narratives. "They Make Beer Commercials Like This" shows the evolution of the band's craft and finally captures the spark of their live show.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They Make Beer Commercials Like This. great cd, May 17, 2005

By 

joe larkin (pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They Make Beer Commercial Like This (Audio CD)

Although Minus the Bear's uniformly goofy song titles and album names make the Seattle quartet seem at first like the spiritual descendents of local scene godfathers the Young Fresh Fellows - besides the sarcastic album title, the best titles this time out have to be "Hey, Is That a Ninja Up There?" and "I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien" - the funniest thing about them is how straightforward and (relatively) serious their music is. Boasting a slightly rougher sound than the Steve Fisk-produced Highly Refined Pirates, They Make Beer Commercials Like This is nevertheless at least as complex as their previous releases, but with more of an emphasis this time on constantly shifting, tricky rhythms and a more prominent and melodic presence for bassist Cory Murchy to counterpoint David Knudson's typically fluid guitar showcases. This is especially notable on the opening "Fine + 2 Points," which has even more of the chilly but danceable sound of early-'80s post-punk outfits like A Certain Ratio and Crispy Ambulance than the far more celebrated Franz Ferdinand do.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid perfomance - 3.5 stars for sure., March 12, 2005

By 

superinkygrrl "fixating daily so you don't ha... (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They Make Beer Commercial Like This (Audio CD)

Wow, "I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien" is an awesome, complex tune that I'm afraid has imbedded itself firmly inside my head. Really, the only beef I have with Minus the Bear is that the lead singer's voice creeps into that emo-pop vocal sound that sometimes gives me a bit of a headache.

Otherwise, the guitars and drums work together in this perfect cacophany of musical bliss. This is music that demands to be listened to thoughtfully. At the same time, it's a treat for the ears. I think my I.Q. actually went up a couple points.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars tap tap tap, November 1, 2006

By 

Benjamin Moureau-lucadamo "Ben" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: They Make Beer Commercial Like This (Audio CD)

They have one of the freshest, most original sounds in music. It sounds like

experimental indie dance pop, and it sounds just as great. The tap guitar technique is incredible, some of the best guitar playing in indie today. I highly recommend each of these six tracks.

If you like/dislike, let me know