Consider this a sneak preview show – both Minus the Bear and Everest have new records coming out in May (MTB’s Omni comes out May 4, Everest’s On Approach on May 11) but will be sampling from those records at the Newport on Monday night.
MP3: My Time (from Minus the Bear’s Omni) / Full album stream
Minus the Bear are an interesting creature, they’ve built a big following with their synth-driven, experimental, funky pop sound (think Mute Math meets Ben Folds, Cave In meets the Alan Parsons Project) despite various members roots in hardcore bands such as Botch and These Arms are Snakes.
Everest meanwhile is, well, not a supergroup but the members have played with the likes of Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, Earlimart, Great Northern, and the Watson Twins.
The band was handpicked by Neil Young’s manager to join Young’s Vapor Records and released Ghost Notes in 2008 on that label. On Approach finds the band jumping to Warner Bros. and the sophomore album sounds every bit as rich and warm as the debut – at times it sounds like Jeff Buckley fronting Wilco (and I don’t drop those names lightly).
Tickets are $20 at the Newport Music Hall door. Young the Giant kicks the evening off around 8pm, followed by Everest and Minus the Bear.