Photo by: synthema.com

Message to Bears resides somewhere in the jam band category with its soft, rhythmic music and penchant for violins.

Bears represents the new movement in classic folk with the way it incorporates a variety of instrumentation including acoustic guitars, pianos, violins and drums.

However, unlike most modern bands, the guitar and piano often fill the vital role of creating rhythm and beat within the song, instead of the drums.

They will sometimes incorporate verbal hums into their music, accentuating their voices as instruments. Inspired by the classical tradition, Message to Bears’ acoustic guitar often flows quickly like the Spanish “Romanza” and is played without a pick, bringing more life and depth to the notes.

Message to Bears also likes to incorporate two guitars together to create a dialogue between the instruments that the listener hears as a unique beat and rhythm is created.

Bears’ music is soft and repetitious, but there is a genius in the songs’ build-ups that entrance the listener. Often starting with only one or two guitars, the songs eventually build up into five or more instruments playing at once. It might be difficult initially for some people to accept the lack of lyrics; but, in this case, the lack of lyricism actually adds depth and meaning to the music.

It allows the listener to implant his or her own thoughts and feelings into the music and let them grow or diminish with the song, creating music that quickly inspires or at least brings peace to its audience.

Currently, Message to Bears has two albums on iTunes entitled EP1 and Departures. Some of its better songs are “Good Morning,” “Hidden Beneath,” “Green” and “Plane over Evening Sky.”