Minus The Bear recorded a second unplugged album—Acoustics II. The album, if you didn’t infer from the title, is a 10-track spread of unplugged versions of some of their most popular songs.
That being said, this was probably the safest, most harmless album I have ever listened to. Seriously, it could not have been more bland or generic.
Let me preface this by saying the point of an unplugged album is to change the perspective or dimension of familiar material. It is supposed to be equally as inspired as the original releases, just filtered differently. With that in mind, Minus The Bear is not “plugged in” enough to create an unplugged album that accomplishes any sort of goal. The production of this album merely stripped each track of their minimalistic electronic base, which is all they really had going for them in the first place, and replaced it with the strumming of an acoustic guitar. That’s it, that’s all, folks—it flat-lined before it ever had a chance.
Similarly, Acoustics II lacks even a mild hint of climax or revelation. It does not exhibit any sort of vulnerability—a factor many people search for in an acoustic album—nor does it exhibit any sort of strength. It sits on the same, very low, plateau from beginning to end. Never once did I find myself in emotional solidarity with the singer, nor did I particularly care to. Each song is so overwhelmingly tedious, the silence after the last track, signifying the album’s end, finally brings the sigh of relief—a climax the listener deserved over the album’s 45 minute course.
I mean, it’s not that this album is “bad” per say, but only because it’s so damn safe! There’s nothing anyone could possibly take offense to or even necessarily dislike. It’s an uninspired drone of formulaic, mainstream “indie” that will sell enough copies for the band and their managers to stay in their respective income brackets.
Rating: D
