Together, these contradictory characters have combined their strengths to deliver their sophomore album Distraction – a collection in which their love of pop hooks is filtered cohesively through an eclectic collection of genre elements ranging from psychedelic to punk. “Giants” is perhaps the track that best encapsulates everything that makes Bear Hands special, as it flows from a manic verse full of hollered stream-of-consciousness lyrics into an infectious chorus, in which the universal emotion of “I’m loving you more” is set to a cascading riff.
Rau and Feldman first met as film students at Connecticut’s Wesleyan University, an institution that has become well known for turning out a steady stream of talented musicians due to its focus on the arts. They became fast friends, bonding over a pot brownie and a shared taste in music. However, as Feldman was already in another band at the time, it would be several months before the two would begin to collaborate musically.
After going through an unpleasant breakup, Dylan discovered that his ex-girlfriend had taken up with one of Ted’s bandmates. When he found out that the band had also been offered a record deal, Dylan decided that they would not ride off into the sunset with both his ex-girlfriend and the guitarist he wanted to join forces with. “I said, ‘this isn’t how I’m going to go down.’ I confronted Ted and said, ‘Alright, that’s it – we’re starting a band!’” Once Ted had been convinced to abandon his previous band and form a new one with Dylan, it was time to complete the lineup.
Rau quickly identified the ideal rhythm section for his new band: bassist Val Loper and drummer TJ Orscher of Glastonbury, CT’s In Pieces. “TJ was definitely one of the best drummers in the area,” explains Rau. “I remember Val playing a show at my school, and him spinning around really, really fast and getting his bass stuck in the ground, and then he tripped over it and knocked over a PA speaker. It was super boss.”
Knowing that he’d need to recruit them as a team, Rau used some mini-Machiavellian tricks to convince each member that the other was already interested. Once they’d come around to the idea, the first session together displayed an almost telepathic connection. As Feldman remembers: “Everyone was pretty surprised at how easily it came together. We put four songs together in the first two rehearsals. In retrospect, it was our honeymoon period.”
After Rau’s master plan came together (“You’ve got to poach people from other bands – you scout them and pick people off like weak antelope”), Bear Hands signed to indie label Cantora Records. Bear Hands’ debut album Burning Bush Supper Club was released in 2010, but their progress faltered due to legal complications and daily distractions. This, combined with some inspiration from Jonathan Lethem’s novel Chronic City, led to the band naming their new album Distraction. “It’s about losing touch with reality,” states Rau. “Many things distract us: doing drugs; drinking; reality television; good food; the Internet.”
Frustrated by this protracted hiatus, Bear Hands decided to take the initiative and fund the making of Distraction themselves. Working on a tight budget meant that Feldman, already the director of the band’s videos, would also take the role of producer, with engineering assistance courtesy of their friends Yale Yng-Wong and Jake Aron. To record the drums and the basic tracks, they headed to Feldman’s parents’ house, which was transformed into a makeshift studio for a week. “Luckily my parents weren’t there because they probably would’ve freaked out. It looked awesome to me, but maybe not their style,” laughs Feldman. Overdubs and vocals were completed at Yng-Wong’s studio, Doctor Wu’s, in Brooklyn.
Numerous songs on the album are based on real life experiences. “Agora” addresses Rau’s experiences with agoraphobia. “Mixed with a couple of other mental health issues, it was pretty bad,” he admits. “I still have trouble and I have to force myself to leave the house. Socializing and exercise are the two things that I’m trying to work on improving. Sometimes I have little interest in either.”
Another common theme is failing romance. "Thought Wrong" is based upon a time when two of the band members were simultaneously involved in intense break-ups, while "Vile Iowa" reflects Rau’s experiences visiting his ex-girlfriend’s family – conservative, teetotaller Mormons. “I don’t think they really liked me and I don’t think they trusted me,” he sighs. “I have a history of dating girls from the Midwest whose families don’t like me. It’s a habit I need to get over.”
With character, creativity and pure songmanship in abundance, the global appeal of Distraction should ensure that Rau will have a new chance to broaden his horizons way beyond the Midwest. “We’ve always aimed to write pop songs because that’s just what we like, but we also like all sorts of different styles,” affirms Feldman. “There hasn’t been a huge paradigm shift in genres. I think it’s been an evolution of quality.”
Bear Hands is a post-punk/experimental/indie rock act hailing from Brooklyn, New York. Forming in 2006, the band consists of Dylan Rau, Ted Feldman, Val Loper and TJ Orscher.
www.bearhandsband.com
2AM
Bear Hands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To do something I wouldn't do
I could never lose you
At least I'd never choose to
All your friends are sober
Yeah we're getting older
Going out's a drag now
And we can fantasize
Without much of a mess
And making love is fine
But all I want is to forget
How old I am
(Can't remember anything else)
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
I put the ball in your court
Text me back
I want a full report
I want cash in hand
I'm still waiting for my man
(Has he even left the house?)
Short a couple dollars but I think he'll understand
I put my best dress on, get back in bed
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
Can't turn back, it's too late
I saw you drink the Kool-Aid
But I don't want no undue
Attention coming from you
All your friends are sober
Yeah we're getting older
Staying in at home
It's good enough for both us
Free to fantasize
Without hearing "I told ya"
Making love is fine
But all I want is to forget
How old I am
(Can't remember anything else)
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
I put the ball in your court
Text me back
I want a full report
I want cash in hand
I'm still waiting for my man
(Has he even left the house?)
Short a couple dollars but I think he'll understand
I put my best dress on, get back in bed
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
And what I thought was possible don't seem possible no more
I struggle to keep up with you
And what I thought was possible don't seem possible no more
I never could keep up with you
Can we forget how old I am?
(Can't remember anything else)
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
I put the ball in your court
Text me back
I want a full report
I want cash in hand
I'm still waiting for my man
(Has he even left the house?)
Twenty-seven years young don't make sense
I put my best dress on, get back in bed
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
Amen
The song "2AM" by Bear Hands is a commentary on the perils of partying and trying to stay young forever. The lyrics imply that the singer and their friend group are getting older and are no longer interested in going out and partying like they used to. The singer seems to be nostalgic for their youth and the carefree lifestyle that came with it. They express a desire to forget how old they are and live in the moment.
The lyrics "All your friends are sober, yeah we're getting older, going out's a drag now, all my spots have closed" convey the idea that the singer and their friends are no longer into the party scene and are instead opting to stay in. The singer mentions that "all [their] spots have closed," perhaps signifying that the places they used to go to when they were younger have either shut down or are no longer cool enough for them.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "Nothing good happens past two a.m." The singer seems to be warning their friend or lover that they should not stay out too late and that it's better to call it a night before anything bad happens. The phrase "I put the ball in your court, text me back, I want a full report" suggests that the singer is waiting for their friend to let them know if they've made it home safely or if anything eventful has happened.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the pitfalls of growing older and trying to hold onto our youth. It suggests that as we mature, we become more cautious with our choices and are no longer as willing to take risks or push boundaries, a sentiment that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I would never ask you
I promise to never ask you to do anything I'm not willing to do myself.
To do something I wouldn't do
I would never ask you to do something that I wouldn't be willing to do myself.
I could never lose you
Losing you would be too devastating for me.
At least I'd never choose to
I would never intentionally choose to lose you.
All your friends are sober
All of your friends are currently sober.
Yeah we're getting older
We are both getting older.
Going out's a drag now
Going out is no longer as enjoyable as it used to be.
All my spots have closed
All of my usual places to go have closed.
And we can fantasize
We can daydream without any negative consequences.
Without much of a mess
Without any complications or baggage.
And making love is fine
Having sex is okay.
But all I want is to forget
All I really want is to not be reminded of how old I am.
How old I am
I don't want to think about how old I am.
(Can't remember anything else)
I can't recall anything else right now.
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
Nothing good ever happens after two o'clock in the morning.
I put the ball in your court
I'm giving you a chance to take charge of the situation.
Text me back
Send me a message in response.
I want a full report
I want to be fully informed about what's going on.
I want cash in hand
I want the money to be physically in my possession.
I'm still waiting for my man
I'm still waiting for the person I'm expecting.
(Has he even left the house?)
I'm not even sure if he's left his house yet.
Short a couple dollars but I think he'll understand
I'm a bit short on cash, but I think he'll be okay with it.
I put my best dress on, get back in bed
I've dressed up, but have gone back to bed.
And what I thought was possible don't seem possible no more
Things that I thought were possible, no longer seem to be within my reach.
I struggle to keep up with you
I find it difficult to keep up with you.
I never could keep up with you
I've never been able to keep pace with you.
Can we forget how old I am?
Can we please just forget about my age for now?
Twenty-seven years young don't make sense
Being twenty-seven years old seems strange and uncomfortable.
Nothing good happens past two a.m.
Once again, I'm emphasizing that nothing good ever happens after two o'clock in the morning.
Amen
Amen.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMAS ORSCHER, TED FELDMAN, DYLAN RAU, VAL LOPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@frederickfrost4066
Living proof that there will always be a new band come along that just kills it. This is bad ass song, unique bass line, great variation transition, the song should be played LOUD!!! Frost
@jamesfrost7465
I'm 62 and I love this song. Remember, time flies when we're alive.
@deborahchesser7375
Damn sure does, and picks up speed as it goes on. What a deal 😆
@musicandpoetry_8
Thank god it speeds up because I think the afterlife is better
@wookie838
Wait until you're 37. You'll have to change the lyric to, "Nothing Good Happens Past 9PM".
@chelsiewilkey1743
even now at 24 it's that way!! work and school is important!
@donaraphael2644
True that!
@erin1876
😂
@shawnarchuleta7665
Wookie Vandelay huhfuihyyt3p00i
@Gypsy_Soul7
😂😂😂😂😂😂 So true 😪😪