• Consequence
  • Music
  • Film
  • TV
  • Heavy
Menu Consequence
Menu Shop Search Newsletter
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Live
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Cover Story
Advertisement
  • Reviews
  • Album Reviews

Album Review: The 2 Bears – Be Strong

C-

Artists

  • Hot Chip
  • The 2 Bears
Advertisement
Tony Hardy
January 31, 2012 | 7:57am ET

    Grown men in comedic animal costumes? The 2 Bears can’t be accused of taking themselves too seriously and the duo’s debut album, Be Strong, exudes sheer fun as it embraces an honest love of classic House. While I can take or leave a lot of the stuff that passes for dance music these days, Be Strong ticks boxes that others leave empty. The tunes are always melodic, mostly feel-good and uplifting, while little touches in the arrangements keep things fresh and inventive within an albeit standard 4/4 retro groove.

    Formed in 2009, The 2 Bears are the London duo made up of Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard with DJ and radio host Raf Rundell. Their collaboration is born out of a shared passion for House music, especially its communal vibe. Rundell adds affable lead vocals to several tracks in a South London amalgam of Ian Drury and Jona Lewie with a touch of Damon Albarn. It’s an easy-on-the-ear style that adds a lightness to the record. Having said that, “The Birds & the Bees” provides a bright opener, though it is largely instrumental. Little, looped layers of melody and bursts of brass add interest to an essentially two-chord turn.

    The title track breezes down a familiar corridor while “Bear Hug”, which follows, sounds like the duo have invited English boxer Frank Bruno along to provide guest vocals. The alleged Bruno returns with some homespun homily on “Warm & Easy” (“Love is lovely, and war is ugly”), a song that drifts along nice and easy, keeps its tongue in cheek, and hits the uplift spot. The geezer-in-a-stetson approach to “Time in Mind” is possibly the only time the record misses a beat. The album closes with “Church”, a kind of comedown song with less of the chill. It embraces the communal spirit of House and resolves itself into the mantra “Let’s get up together” laced with Caribbean rhythms. And with that conundrum, the album neatly avoids any accusations of mere pastiche.

    Advertisement
    Related Video

    Essential Tracks: “The Birds & the Bees”, “Warm & Easy”, and “Church”

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit

Artists

  • Hot Chip
  • The 2 Bears

Sign up for updates

Subscribe to our email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.

Advertisement

Popular Stories

Foo Fighters at Sonic Temple

Heavy Consequence

Foo Fighters Cover Nine Inch Nails' "March of the Pigs" at Sonic Temple: Watch

Royal Blood at BBC Big Weekend

Music

Royal Blood Have Full-Blown On-Stage Meltdown at BBC Radio One's Big Weekend

Succession Series Finale Recap

TV

The Succession Series Finale Was One of HBO's Darkest Endings to Date

quentin tarantino wont cast british actor

Film

Quentin Tarantino: "Nobody Is Acting in Their Real Voice"

Latest Stories

Foo Fighters But Here We Are New Album Review

Foo Fighters Find Greatness in Grief on But Here We Are: Review

May 26, 2023

the national first two pages of frankenstein album review new lp good

The National's First Two Pages of Frankenstein Explores a Familiar Anxiety: Review

April 26, 2023

suga agust d review d-day bts

Agust D's D-DAY Triumphantly Caps Off the Trilogy from SUGA of BTS: Review

April 21, 2023

Metallica

Metallica’s 72 Seasons Is a Monument to an Illustrious Career: Review

April 10, 2023

wednesday rat saw god album review

Wednesday Touch the Divine on the Glorious Rat Saw God

April 7, 2023

boygenius the record review phoebe bridgers lucy dacus julien baker album

boygenius Provoke, Endear, and Devastate on Spectacular Debut Album the record: Review

March 29, 2023

jimin face hed

On FACE, Jimin Sets Himself Free: Review

March 24, 2023

AW Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey Provokes But Does Not Explain on Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd: Review

March 22, 2023

Advertisement

News

  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Tours
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture

Reviews

  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews

Features

  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Cover Stories
  • Lists
  • Guides
  • CoSign
  • Song of the Week

Live

  • Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Photo Galleries
  • Music Instruments & Gear

Heavy

  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts

More

  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Wellness
  • Giveaways

Other sites

  • Heavy Consequence
  • Consequence Media
  • Modern Drummer
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Advertising
  • Work For Us
  • Terms
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Download our app

  • Get it on the App Store
  • Get it on Google Play
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Consequence
Current story

Album Review: The 2 Bears - Be Strong

Menu Shop Search Newsletter
Consequence
News
  • News
  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Tours
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
Reviews
  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews
Features
  • All Features
  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Cover Stories
  • Lists
  • Guides
  • CoSign
  • Song of the Week
Live
  • Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Photo Galleries
  • Music Instruments & Gear
Podcasts
  • The Opus
  • Kyle Meredith With...
  • Stanning BTS
  • The Story Behind the Song
  • The What
  • Going There with Dr. Mike
  • The Rome and Duddy Show
Videos
  • Interviews
  • Two for the Road
  • First Time I Heard
  • When I Made
  • Battle of the Bandmates
  • Peer 2 Peer
  • Essays
  • Fan Theories
Heavy
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Culture
  • Beyond the Boys Club
  • Mining Metal
Shop
  • Shop
  • Giveaways
Hometowns

Follow Consequence

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Close
Close