Local Reviews: Bears On Parade

Local Music Reviews

Bears On Parade
This Is Not For You
I Had an Accident
Street: 05.11
Bears On Parade = Shhh… This Is a Library + The Microphones
I am supposed to avoid vague, nonsensical descriptions when writing a review, but this album is slightly vague and nonsensical, so fuck it. This album is like a swim through a cave of glitter followed by that slimy feeling you get after showering in soft water. The songs start incredibly slow with a reverb-drenched guitar and Casiotone keyboard, and they gradually build to a climax as the loop pedal fills up.  Each song sort of flows into the next and leaves a lingering taste in your mouth. The vocals are pretty scarce and songwriter Chaz Costello uses voice samples pretty heavily. My favorite samples are most certainly the Charles Manson interview excerpts on “Got A Little Girl Named Rose” as they are quite familiar, and the piano that accompanies them sounds very different than everything else on the album. If you’re a fan of ambient music, you’ll enjoy this album greatly. However, if you’re not, you probably shouldn’t start here as it isn’t all that accessible to an avant-garde ambient newcomer.