Brooklyn-based dance punks Bear Hands — Dylan Tau (vocals, guitar), Val Loper (bass) and TJ Orscher (drums) — formed back in 2006. They gained early attention with 2010’s “What a Drag,” which led to the trio signing with Cantora Records, who released their full-length debut, that year’s Burning Bush Supper Club. 2014’s sophomore effort Distraction was a critical and commercial success with the album reaching #23 on Billboard‘s Heatseekers chart. The trio followed up with 2016’s You’ll Pay For This and 2019’s Fake Tunes.
The trio is making a highly anticipated return with the first bit of new music in over five years with their newest single “Intrusive Thoughts.” The track was recorded at a small Cherry Hill, NJ-based home studio and was co-produced by Elliott Kozel, Alex M and the band. Anchored around glistening synth stabs, a sinuous bass line and percussive and skittering, tweeter and woofer rattling thump paired with seemingly stream-of-consciousness lyrics, which accurately capture the irritation, confusion, self-doubt, self-flagellation and denial that intrusive thoughts so frequently create.
“’Intrusive Thoughts’ is the song that’s playing in my head all day and I can’t get it out,” Bear Hands’ Dylan Rau explains. “Not that I really want to. Well sometimes I do when I’m trying to do basic math or pick a restaurant to eat at with my girlfriend. I think I wrote it about being bored of everything and feeling dissatisfied with everyone and everything around me. Not that I’m super misanthropic in general but this song might make you that way if you get it stuck in your head so watch out.”
Directed by Orson Oblowtiz and edited by Alex Russek, the accompanying video for “Intrusive Thoughts” follows a megalomanic motivational speaker/drummer, who does a chintzy anti-drug stage show that also includes McGruff the Crime Dog. It’s the sort of show and message that its intended audience would probably derisively roll their eyes at while watching.
“The video was deeply influenced by a motivational speaker/drummer who toured all the elementary schools in my home state with a massive 30+ piece drum kit and chintzy light show,” Rau explains. “He loved drums, hated drugs, and was easily identified as a crazed megalomaniac by at least one naive fifth grader (me). I think I remember him saying he could be touring with Bowie if he wanted but that it was more important to educate the youth. Ha!”
This year, also marks the 10th anniversary of the release of the trio’s acclaimed sophomore album Distraction. And to celebrate the occasion, the band will be embarking on a fall, North American tour that the band has dubbed Distraction 10. The tour includes a November 1, 2024 stop at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets go on-sale on June 7, 2024 at 10am local time. All tour dates are below.
Bear Hands tour dates
10/27 – New Park – West Hartford, CT
10/29 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
10/30 – Union Stage – Washington, DC
11/1 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY
11/2 – Middle East – Cambridge, MA
11/4 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
11/5 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI
11/6 – Outset – Chicago, IL
11/7 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN
11/9 – Meow Wolf – Denver, CO
11/11 – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
11/12 – Teragram – Los Angeles, CA
11/13 – Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA
11/15 – Alladin Theatre – Portland, OR
11/16 – Neumos – Seattle, WA
