The Bears (album) explained

The Bears
Type:	Album
Artist:	The Bears
Cover:	The Bears (album).jpg
Released:	1987
Recorded:	1987
Studio:	Royal Recording Studios, Lake Geneva WI
Genre:	Power Pop, Rock
Label:	Primitive Man Recording Company, I.R.S.^[1]
Producer:	Adrian Belew
Next Title:	Rise and Shine
Next Year:	1988

The Bears is the debut studio album by the rock band The Bears, released in 1987.^{[2] [3] [4]}

The cover art was created by Mort Drucker.^[5]

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote that "the tunes are tight, smart pop gems, distinguished from so many other bands by the wild antics of Belew's guitar." The Washington Post called the album "a little too precious and labored ever to attain the unforced grace of good old rock 'n' roll."^[1]

Trouser Press wrote: "Challenging, muscular, tuneful, idiosyncratic and accessible, The Bears ... is a superlative record."^[6] The Encyclopedia of Popular Music remarked that the album "invoked comparisons with Squeeze and XTC, and for good reason."

Track listing

1. "None of the Above" (Adrian Belew, Bob Nyswonger, Chris Arduser, Rob Fetters)
2. "Fear Is Never Boring" (Fetters)
3. "Honey Bee" (Belew)
4. "Man Behind the Curtain" (Belew, Nyswonger, Fetters)
5. "Wavelength" (Belew)
6. "Trust" (Nyswonger)
7. "Raining" (Belew, Nyswonger, Fetters)
8. "Superboy" (Belew, Fetters)
9. "Meet Me in the Dark" (Belew)
10. "Figure It Out" (Belew, Nyswonger, Arduser, Fetters)

Personnel

The Bears

• Adrian Belew - guitar, vocals
• Rob Fetters - guitar, vocals
• Bob Nyswonger - bass
• Chris Arduser - drums

Notes and References

1. Web site: GETTING THEIR NEW ACTS TOGETHER. Mark. Jenkins. June 24, 1987. www.washingtonpost.com.
2. Web site: RECORD LABEL PRESIDENT A MAVERICK IN INDUSTRY. May 22, 1987. Los Angeles Times.
3. Web site: Cincinnati Magazine. June 30, 1996. Emmis Communications. Google Books.
4. Book: Legends of Rock Guitar. Pete. Prown. H. P.. Newquist. February 1, 1997. Hal Leonard. 9781476850931. Google Books.
5. Web site: Cincinnati Band The Bears Remembers Mort Drucker, 'Mad' Magazine Caricature Master and Album Illustrator. CityBeat Cincinnati.
6. Web site: Adrian Belew . Trouser Press . 30 July 2020.