They Make Beer Commercials Like This

They Make Beer Commercials Like This
EP by
Minus the Bear
ReleasedJune 13, 2004 (2004-06-13) (original)
June 3, 2008 (2008-06-03) (re-release)
RecordedStudio Litho, April 18–25, 2004
GenreIndie rock, alternative rock
Length22:01 (original)
25:56 (re-release)
LabelArena Rock Recording Co. (original)
Suicide Squeeze (re-release)
Producer
Minus the Bear chronology
Highly Refined Pirates
(2002) 		They Make Beer Commercials Like This
(2004) 		Menos el Oso
(2005)

They Make Beer Commercials Like This is the third EP released by the band Minus the Bear on the Arena Rock Recording Co. After being remastered, it was re-released on June 3, 2008, through Suicide Squeeze Records with an added track, "Houston, We Have Uh-Oh". This song was originally released on the compilation, In Honor: A Compilation To Beat Cancer.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Pitchfork Media[2]

Reviews for the EP have been mixed. AllMusic praised its complexity and "constantly shifting, tricky rhythms".[1] Both AllMusic and Pitchfork commented on the band's pattern of creating playfully odd titles for songs that are completely serious, but Pitchfork considered this a negative, and additionally criticized the lack of any progression in the band's music over their years of existence. They marked "Dog Park" and "Pony Up" as strong tracks, and concluded "The prevalence of so much filler on a six-song EP is discouraging, and marks this EP as just another placeholder in a career long sustained primarily by placeholder EPs."[2]

Track listing

Arena Rock Recording Co. release on July 13, 2004
No.TitleLength
1."Fine + 2 Pts"3:50
2."Let's Play Clowns"3:37
3."Dog Park"2:36
4."I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien"4:06
5."Hey! Is That A Ninja Up There?"4:05
6."Pony Up!"3:47
Suicide Squeeze Records release on June 3, 2008
No.TitleLength
1."Fine + 2 Pts"3:50
2."Let's Play Clowns"3:37
3."Dog Park"2:36
4."I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien"4:06
5."Hey! Is That A Ninja Up There?"4:05
6."Pony Up!"3:47
7."Houston, We Have Uh-Oh"3:53

Personnel

Minus the Bear
Other personnel
  • Additional vocals from Heather Duby on the track "I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien"
  • Recorded and Mixed by Matt Bayles
  • Mastered by Ed Brooks

Trivia

  • The song title "Houston, We Have Uh-Oh" was taken from an episode of Sealab 2021 titled "Vacation."
  • Some copies bore a sticker on the cover that stated "Pronounced with an 'Umpty'".

References

  1. ^ a b They Make Beer Commercials Like This at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b Moore, David (15 September 2004). "Album review". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 15 October 2012.