Minus The Bear Drop Reissue of Epic, Beloved Album Menos el Oso
Photo Credit: Ryan Russell
Get ready to crank the volume and relive the magic: Minus the Bear’s game-changing 2005 masterpiece Menos el Oso turns twenty this year! To mark the milestone, Suicide Squeeze Records will unleash a deluxe 2xLP reissue on August 22, 2025, loaded with exclusive content that every die-hard fan and new listener alike will want in their collection.
Today, Minus the Bear are turning back the clock and revealing something truly special: “The Pig War (Demo)”, an early, raw, and deeply nostalgic take on one of the album’s most haunting tracks.
Vocalist Jake Snider reflects, “The music for the song had a melancholy, rolling feel leading me to nostalgic memories of being on Wescott Bay on San Juan Island, a few hours trip north of Seattle. The lyrics are more an impression of the place than a narrative; a longing for the simplicity of being there.
It’s cool to hear the contrast between the rougher edges of the demo against the album track’s more polished flow.” This exclusive demo drop follows the recent reveal of the fan-favorite “Hooray (Demo)”, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the year’s most essential reissues.
The Menos el Oso 20th Anniversary Edition features the original, newly remastered album on one 12”, while the second 12” is a treasure trove: five never-before-heard demos, including “The Pig War,” “Hooray,” “Drilling,” and more.
Side B of disc two comes alive with a stunning etching crafted by bassist Cory Murchy, and as if that weren’t enough, the reissue also includes Los Archivos Del Oso, a 24-page archival photo journal packed with rare snapshots from the band’s personal vault. Fans can sign up for the band’s newsletter for an exclusive sneak peek inside this intimate zine.
Reflecting on the upcoming release, Snider shares, “…Oso is a band and fan favorite. We came into our sound on this record. I’m excited for fans to hear these demos for the first time! Revisiting demos and hearing the evolution of some of these tracks puts me right back in our early 2000s practice space. And now we’re literally back in that same practice space for rehearsals. It’s wild!”
Tracklist:
01 The Game Needed Me
02 Memphis & 53rd
03 Drilling
04 The Fix
05 El Torrente
06 Pachuca Sunrise
07 Michio’s Death Drive
08 Hooray
09 Fulfill the Dream
10 The Pig War
11 This Ain’t a Surfin’ Movie
12 Hooray (Demo)
13 Drilling (Demo)
14 The Pig War (Demo)
15 Michio’s Death Drive (Demo)
16 I’m Totally Not Down With Rob’s Alien (Demo)
Adding to the excitement, guitarist David Knudson looks back on the album’s fearless experimentation: “We toured so much for Menos el Oso — all these songs and riffs are stuck in my muscle memory like core childhood memories. The fingers and feet instinctively know where to tap and stomp at just the right time to make the notes and melodies leap out of my guitar.
We were trying to push the envelope back in 2005 on this one — incorporating glitchy guitar samples, hip hop breakbeats and more electronic elements to the sound we had established on Highly Refined Pirates. Proud to say that 20 years later it still sounds fresh and I’m grateful people keep coming back to it as one of their favorites!”
The celebration doesn’t stop at the reissue. Minus the Bear recently announced a fall anniversary tour, with support acts just revealed. It’s a golden chance to experience these beloved songs live, reimagined two decades later.
The countdown is on: mark your calendars for August 22, stream the unreleased demos now, and don’t miss your chance to own this definitive piece of Minus the Bear history. Remaining tour tickets are moving fast—grab yours now and be part of the anniversary that fans will be talking about for years to come.
Biography:
Across the span of eighteen years, six full-lengths, and an array of singles and EP, the band traversed a broad swathe of sonic territories, seamlessly jumping from brainy indie pop to glitchy dance-punk to ambitious prog rock, all while retaining their signature blend of celebratory swagger with a pensive and reflective patina.
Fueled by guitarist David Knudson’s fingertapping dexterity and pedalboard wizardy, vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider’s wistful and poignant depictions of adulthood escapades, multi-instrumentalist Alex Rose’s lush synth layers, and bassist Cory Murchy’s nimble groove, Minus the Bear created a body of work that cemented their place as one of modern indie rock’s most distinctive and influential acts.
Though Minus the Bear toured extensively across Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia, they were mainly known as an absolute juggernaut on the North American circuit, where they routinely sold-out theaters from coast to coast.
Their final US tour was documented on the posthumously released live album Farewell, which captured not only the fiery and flawless execution of their most beloved material, but also the fervent enthusiasm of their devoted fanbase. The band dissolved at the end of 2018 as the responsibilities in their private lives took precedence over the rigorous demands of being in a full-time band.
Audio:
Tour Dates:
10/04/25 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater w/ Kennebec (SOLD OUT)
10/06/25 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades w/ The New Trust (SOLD OUT)
10/07/25 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom w/ Velvet Teen *
10/08/25 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park w/ Soft Palms (SOLD OUT)
10/10/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Best Friends Forever Festival
10/11/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco w/ Speedy Ortiz (SOLD OUT)
10/12/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco w/ Disheveled Cuss (SOLD OUT)
10/14/25 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre w/ From Indian Lakes
10/16/25 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin w/ Holy Wave (SOLD OUT)
10/17/25 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater w/ Girl In A Coma (SOLD OUT)
10/18/25 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin w/ Bayonne (SOLD OUT)
10/19/25 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theater w/ Bayonne
10/21/25 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham w/ Bayonne (SOLD OUT)
10/22/25 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade w/ Bayonne (SOLD OUT)
10/24/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore w/ Slow Mass (SOLD OUT)
10/25/25 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues w/ Slow Mass *
11/04/25 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club w/ Evil *
11/05/25 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club w/ The Messthetics (SOLD OUT)
11/07/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ Speedy Ortiz (SOLD OUT)
11/08/25 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza w/ Speedy Ortiz (SOLD OUT)
11/09/25 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza w/ Wild Arrows *
11/11/25 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre w/ Gladie
11/12/25 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues w/ Into It. Over It. *
11/14/25 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre w/ Into It. Over It. (SOLD OUT)
11/15/25 – Chicago, IL @ Metro w/ Into It. Over It. (SOLD OUT)
11/16/25 – Chicago, IL @ Metro w/ Slow Mass (SOLD OUT)
11/18/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue w/ Into It. Over It.
11/19/25 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater w/ The Casket Lottery
11/21/25 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre w/ From Indian Lakes *
11/22/25 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre w/ From Indian Lakes
11/23/25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot w/ From Indian Lakes
11/26/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox w/ Suzzalo
11/28/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox w/ Pastel Faces (SOLD OUT)
11/29/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox w/ Constant Lovers (SOLD OUT)
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Links:
Official: https://www.minusthebear.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minusthebear
Instagram: http://instagram.com/minusthebear
