MP3: The Bear Quartet - I know my owner
Like "Battle hymn", "I know my owner" is a triumphant opener that sets the stage for what's to come. The piece is two parts; first comes the overture - a grand symphonic declaration with the main theme performed on MIDI guitar. Then the track breaks and the lead gives way to a strummed, full-chord riff that becomes the foundation for part two. The drums become more clattering too, but the symphonic air is held by the keyboards softly soaring in the background. That is, until the vocals come in, screaming undecipherable epithets; then it becomes something else entirely - a warning. I suppose that, in a way, they are building walls to keep out the undesirables and rubberneckers. It's tracks like this that make it impossible to be a casual Bear Quartet fan. Either you love it or you don't, no in-between. If you feel alienated, that's fine. It's not for you. Personally, I appreciate the ugliness and discomfort, the juxtaposition of themes. "I feel so alive that I want to die... say hello, wave goodbye"
The Bear Quartet - I know my owner