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Bear Mountain (band)

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Bear Mountain
Background information
OriginVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
GenresIndie, Dance, Alternative, Electronic
Years active2012-2018
LabelsLast Gang Records
MembersIan Bevis
Greg Bevis
Kenji Rodriguez
Kyle Statham

Bear Mountain was a Canadian indie band from Vancouver, British Columbia. They released their first album XO on Last Gang Records in May 2013. Bear Mountain have toured as direct support for Bloc Party, Cut Copy, Hot Chip, MS MR and have played major festivals including Lollapalooza, The Governor's Ball, Sasquatch! Music Festival, Osheaga and Austin City Limits.

After a successful showcase at SXSW 2013, Billboard wrote that "The fact they could catch so much attention says something about the potential and staying power of their music."[1]

History

[edit]

The group was originally formed as a solo project by Ian Bevis of the band Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party. After playing several shows solo as Bear Mountain, Bevis invited fellow University of Victoria student Kyle Statham to join the band.[2] The pair wrote and recorded their debut album XO in their home studio, and self-released the EP in August 2012.[3] Initial reception for the EP was positive, with taste-maker blogs The Fader and Consequence of Sound praising the sound.[4][5]

Ian's twin, Greg Bevis, and Kenji Rodriguez were added to the Bear Mountain lineup, with Bevis playing drums and keyboards, and Rodriguez performing live visuals.[6] The band continued to perform in Victoria,[7] and XO was re-released by Last Gang Records.[8] The rereleased album garnered national radio airplay for the single "Faded".[8]

In 2014, the band released a cover of Tears for Fears' song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" in conjunction with Toyota's promotional Scion Sessions, with a video that featured the band dancing in front of the Vancouver Public Library.[9]

In 2015 the band released the single "Hopeful".[10] This was followed in 2016 with a second album, Badu.[11] In advance of the new release, they performed a studio session for the Canadian music magazine Exclaim!, performing an acoustic rendition of "Faded" in the Last Gang Records offices.[12]

In 2018, Ian Bevis and Greg Bevis left the band. Ian began a solo career[13] and Greg moved to Los Angeles to work as a composer for the film industry.

Discography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "SXSW Shorts". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  2. ^ Ben Yung, "Conversation with Bear Mountain". The Revue, November 26, 2013.
  3. ^ "Bear Mountain's XO is full of memorable, original sounds". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  4. ^ "Bear Mountain, Congo". The Fader. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  5. ^ "Album Review: Bear Mountain XO". Consequence of Sound. 6 August 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  6. ^ "Bear Mountains Ascent". Interview Magazine. 6 June 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  7. ^ Kim Jay, "Bear Mountain Studio CMCT, Victoria BC, September 14". Exclaim!, September 15, 2013.
  8. ^ a b Sarah Murphy, 'Bear Mountain "Faded"'. Exclaim!, May 22, 2013.
  9. ^ Alex Hudson, Bear Mountain, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (Tears for Fears cover) (video). Exclaim!, July 30, 2014.
  10. ^ Sarah Murphy, 'Bear Mountain "Hopeful"'. Exclaim!, September 17, 2015.
  11. ^ Matt Collar, "Bear Mountain". AllMusic.
  12. ^ Hannah Ziegler, "Bear Mountain "Faded" on Exclaim! TV". Exclaim!, June 28, 2016.
  13. ^ "DIY Hifi Brings the Funk...Jan 2019". adsrcollective.com. ADSR Collective. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Bear Mountain: XO". AllMusic.
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