Benjamin Bear – Lungs review
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
Self released
Benjamin Bear – LungsReview by Mike Bax
This Seattle two-piece band will appeal to fans of Ben Folds and M. Ward. Their music is more somber than either of the afore mentioned bands, and a bit rougher around the edges. But in a good way. Mychal Cohen brings the voice and pianos to Benjamin Bear, and David Stern the drums.
Intro song ‘Station Rest Release’ is a lovely downbeat track oozing out the songs’ theme of lost love. ‘This Rusty Track’ crescendos in such a swirl of cymbals and clashing drums/piano I found it hard to believe the band utilizes no strings at all in their music.
‘Russ’, the fourth song in on Lungs is a bouncy and upbeat track that sounds like more like an upbeat acid jazz song than what the majority of the material on Lungs sounds like.
When I play music like this, and I’m talking in general here, I have to wonder how a band like Benjamin Bear will survive. Two or three years could see them as successful as the Decemberists and Grizzly Bear. Or they could swim around for years underneath the surface of the vast ocean of quality unsigned bands floating around in North America today. Certainly, if you take the time to screen some of Benjamin Bear’s songs, and watch for them on tour – you’ll be rewarded with some quality songs and what I’m hearing (from some online postings) is a decent live act as well.
I believe Lungs has been around for a while in some form of soft release, but the physical album release is on April 21st. You can scope out the bands music and profile at their MySpace link below.
www.myspace.com/benjaminbearmusic
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