Fake Tunes is the fourth studio album by American experimental rock band, Bear Hands. The album was released on May 10, 2019, through Spensive Sounds.
| Fake Tunes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 10, 2019 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:58 | |||
| Label | Spensive (SPEN004-1) | |||
| Producer | Christopher Chu[4] | |||
| Bear Hands chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Fake Tunes | ||||
Release and promotion
editTwo weeks after the release of Fake Tunes, Bear Hands opened for Twenty One Pilots during the second North American leg of The Bandito Tour. Bear Hands opened for Twenty One Pilots from May 12 to June 30, 2019.[6] From October 8 to November 29, 2019, Bear Hands will co-headline with X Ambassadors in promotion of the album.[7]
Singles
editThe first single, "Back Seat Driver (Spirit Guide)", was released on April 5, 2018.[5] The single was the highest charting and highest streaming single on the album, reaching number 21 on the Alternative Songs charts, specifically peaking at that place on June 9, 2018.[8]
The second single, "Blue Lips" featuring backing vocals from Ursula Rose, was released on January 3, 2019.[2] The single peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Alternative Songs charts during the week of March 23, 2019.[9] The single was well received critically and described as having a range of influences in sound and style, ranging from indie rock,[10] rap rock,[2] and jangle pop.[2]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| QRO Magazine | 8/10[3] |
| Selective Memory |   [11] |
Writing for QRO Magazine, Ted Chase described that the album has the capability of being a major hit saying "perhaps they're too artistic to be as big as the likes of Twenty One Pilots (who they recently toured with), and too tough to pin down, genre-wise. But that's because they actually successfully mix their influences into something special." Chase gave the album an 8 out of 10.[3]
Andrew Duncan, writing for Selective Memory magazine offered a more mixed review of Fake Tunes. Duncan said that the album sees Bear Hands "caught between a rock and a hard place. Too young to slow down but too adult to be reckless, that is the underlying presence within the songwriting of Fake Tunes. Bear Hands have always been an intriguing fixture in the indie rock world, yet Fake Tunes is a crossroads." Duncan gave Fake Tunes three stars out of five[11]
Track listing
editAll music is composed by Dylan Rau, Val Loper, and TJ Orscher
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blue Lips" (featuring Ursula Rose) | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Mr. Radioactive" | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Friends In High Places" | 2:54 |
| 4. | "Back Seat Driver" | 3:49 |
| 5. | "Reptilians" | 3:43 |
| 6. | "Ignoring the Truth" | 3:12 |
| 7. | "Clean Up California" | 3:55 |
| 8. | "Exes" | 3:09 |
| 9. | "Pill Hill" | 2:33 |
| 10. | "Blame" | 3:24 |
| 11. | "Confessions" (featuring Ursula Rose) | 2:41 |
| Total length: | 35:58 | |
References
edit- ^ Cross, Alan. "5 songs you must hear this week: 14 January 2019 - Bear Hands, Blue Lips". CFNY-FM. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Pettigrew, Jason (January 10, 2019). "Things Get Awkward In Bear Hands' "blue Lips" Video—watch". Alternative Press. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Chase, Ted (May 23, 2019). "Bear Hands – Fake Tunes". QRO Mag. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Bear Hands - Q Prime". Q Prime. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
Written and recorded in the plastic warmth of Los Angeles, Fake Tunes marks an evolution for the band, whilst drawing upon newly formed collaborative relationships with producer Christopher Chu of POP ETC and outsider artist Ursula Rose.
- ^ a b "Back Seat Driver (Spirit Guide) - Single by Bear Hands on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Pettigrew, Jason (March 7, 2019). "Twenty One Pilots Reveal the Bandito Tour Support for Second Us Leg". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Bear Hands Confirms Tour With X Ambassadors". Broadway World. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Alternative Songs: Top Alternative Songs Charts - The Week of June 8, 2019". Billboard. June 8, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ "Alternative Songs: Top Alternative Songs The week of March 23, 2019". Billboard. March 23, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Cross, Alan. "5 songs you must hear this week: 14 January 2019 - Bear Hands, Blue Lips". CFNY-FM. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
- ^ a b Duncan, Andrew (May 12, 2019). "Album Review: Bear Hands – Fake Tunes". Selective Memory. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
External links
edit- Fake Tunes at Discogs
- Fake Tunes on iTunes