- Looking for picnic baskets
Founded by John Philpot in 2003, Brooklyn’s Bear in Heaven have seen a steady procession of members filter in and out over the years. That sorta explains why 2009’s Beast Rest Forth Mouth is only the band’s second album. In addition to the revolving-door membership, the group has a tendency to tinker with its songs. Sometimes it’s necessary: Multi-instrumentalist Sadek Bazaraa recently left Bear, so they returned to the studio to rework some things. That tweaking is also the driving force behind their upcoming remix project, which will be included as a second disc in a repackaged Beast Rest Forth Mouth that comes out in September with High Places, the Field, Jesu, and others re-imagining the album’s songs. Bear in Heaven’s synth-driven tracks suit the remix process: “Lovesick Teenagers”’s Krautrock pulse and “Beast in Peace”’s throbbing drums and giant chorus already sound a little like dance cuts. (Bear in Heaven are familiar with the other side of the mixing board too, having rewired Crystal Castles’ “Celestica.”) Whether it stems from necessity or just for the fun of it, the remixes add another level to this busy band’s slowly growing catalog. Bear in Heaven, with Emeralds and Twin Sister, play the Grog Shop at 9 p.m. Tickets: $10. —Chris Drabick
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