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Be Strong

The 2 Bears | Format: Audio CD
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Price: £7.40 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

Be Strong + Trouble
Price For Both: £17.47

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Product details

  • Audio CD (30 Jan 2012)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Southern Fried
  • ASIN: B006DCG936
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 40,017 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
Listen  1. The Birds & the Bees 4:21£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. Be Strong 4:42£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. Bear Hug 4:05£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. Work 4:12£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. Warm & Easy 3:02£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. Take a Look Around 5:16£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. Ghosts & Zombies 4:04£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Time in Mind 3:07£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Increase Your Faith 4:20£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen10. Heart of the Congos 5:04£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen11. Get Together 3:53£0.69  Buy MP3 
Listen12. Church 6:01£0.69  Buy MP3 

Product Description

BBC Review

At first, The 2 Bears look like a novelty act – the gay subtext, the dressing up in bear suits, the vaguely unserious song titles. And in a world where one can wear a mouse head (deadmau5) or actually become robots (Daft Punk), the sight of two grown men capering about like manky team mascots suggests the likes of a moth-eaten Wombles, or The Tweets.

However, the men in the increasingly skanky bear suits are Joe Goddard (of Hot Chip, and behind last year’s incredible solo single Gabriel) and man about town Raf Rundell. Since 2009 they’ve been delighting listeners with their Ministry of Sound radio show, Follow the Bears, and casually releasing EPs along the way.

They’ve taken the highlights of these EPs to construct their debut, and what an album it is. Their furry knees-up ‘theme tune’, Bear Hug, set their stall out nicely, having upped their profile last summer and alerted the disco nation to their wonder. Recent single Work brought a glimmer of house nation shininess to the dark days of the New Year, and earlier tunes Church and the title-track bookend the collection nicely.

Touches of skastep (a genre I’ve just invented) on Heart of the Congos, and country on Time in Mind, guarantee proceedings are never monotonous; these tangents also provide the pair’s considerable songwriting chops with a nice stretch. The utopian existence of the disco is but a fleeting temporary state, and so beneath the optimistic ‘dance your cares away’ vibe there’s also an element of the real world outside the club: Work acknowledges that times are tough, and while you have big dreams you need to actually, er, work at them.

Be Strong, in short, is superb: a joyous amalgam of disco textures and dancefloor stylings which never fail to bring a big grin to your face. A love letter to the last 20-plus years of dance nation sensations which references the finest moments with a cheery and cheeky approach, this is far from a pastiche. In a just world, this set would sell by the bucket-load. So yeah, follow the bears. You know it makes sense.

--Ian Wade

Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window

Product Description

CD

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars If you go down to the woods today...... 2 Feb 2012
By Syriat TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Listening to Be Strong you know that a lot of fun was had making this album. Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) and Raf Rundell (Greco Roman Soundsystem) have produced a dance album, shot through with humour and melody. It reminds you of 90's dance tracks at times, Ian Dury at others and occasionally their day jobs. The lead single, Bear Hug, is a bit of a false signal of intent. Whilst others play the comedic slant as well the true gems here are the straighter tracks like Be Strong (where a love of music is professed to dance beat that is almost LCD Soundsystem crossed with 90's dancefloor fillers which is works on more than one level. Work, with its electronic piano intro, female vocals and eventual breakdown into a funky workout is an absolute moment of genius for this listener. I can't quite get it out of my head. Time In Mind is like listening to Ian Dury brought back to do duties on a dancey bit of fun - its a little tongue in cheek and works well.

Some may be turned off by its jokey approach and some of the more fun tracks. However, its a very good project and will be loved by those who embrace it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A great album that can... 1 May 2012
By T. Wakefield
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
a) help you run long distances, b) assist your trudge to and from work and c) finally listen at home and sound beautiful. The only let down is a track that sounds like Blur and that you don't get a bear hug.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Cannot believe the price! 4 Mar 2013
By Mr. D. J. Tandy
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hot Chip meets house music and less than £4! Well worth the money I would recommend to all Hot Chip fans!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Comfort Sounds
I was a bit sceptical at first i must admit. Having said that this is a huge grower. I was a regular clubber in the 90'e and i soon realised i found comfort in this album. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Just Browsing
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing after the early e.p's. (It ain't house no more!)
After owning & literally playing to death the Follow The Bears, Bear Hug & Curious Nature E.p's I was looking forward to this album, but on listening I am very disappointed. Read more
Published 13 months ago by D. Oliver
5.0 out of 5 stars Strong indeed!
Fantastic album - love these tracks....Bear Hug, Take a look around, Ghosts & zombies, Time in mind, Get Together & Be Strong
Published 14 months ago by lyns
5.0 out of 5 stars The most fun album ever made by two bears
I bought the vinyl version of this. The sound is very good, and the songs themselves are incredibly good. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ø. Hjartnes
5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid album - highly recommended
Album is a blend of post-garage and 90s house, along with some well crafted laid back summer vibes. Genuine mix of classic and contemporary electronica
Published 14 months ago by Mr. D. J. Marsala
5.0 out of 5 stars Best...
album i've heard so far in 2012. I can listen to it all the way through, and i keep coming back to it.
Published 14 months ago by Mr. S. Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars A house music revival!
This album is brilliant. A fusion of old school piano house and original and witty entertaining lyrics. Love it. Highly recommended.
Published 14 months ago by CelticKayaker
4.0 out of 5 stars More than Just a Side Project.
Joe Goddard from Hot Chip and his mate Raf Rundell have made a stunning Album of Old school Dance with Catchy Melodies. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. N. J. Armstrong
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