Album Notes

"On Killer Bee, Bears frontman Gavin Wilkinson set out to make an album with melodies that stick in your head. He succeeded. His band has crafted an indie folk-pop gem that blends styles ranging from the mid-century styles of Johnny and June Carter Cash to Simon and Garfunkel, Roy Orbison to Frankie Lymon....The benefits of his musical education are evident on The Killer Bee Scare, with five catchy songs that linger in your mind. Along with Gard’s show-stealing vocals, McManus becomes a musical tailor, weaving his bass through the melodies like thread, pulling all the elements together into a cohesive unit while also giving the songs a buoyant boost. Wilkinson ditches the somber mood that drove This Story and replaces it with a lighter introspection on relationships and age. Finally, his male band mates come together and drape the compositions with doo-wop harmonies, a perfect element to an already pleasurable listening experience." - NUVO


"Chicago sextet The Bears of Blue River serve up bubbly indie-pop with a pinch of country twang and cutesy boy/girl vocals on their newly released debut EP, "The Killer Bee Scare." The combination of jangly guitars, exuberant harmonies and gently chugging rhythms works wonders on record, and will likely hold up just as strongly on stage tonight"- Metromix


"a truly delightful mix of folk pop that is simply charming (and cleverly carries enough of an edge to avoid ever becoming too saccharine or twee). Bubblegum is carried along on a jaunty melody, sweet vocals, and a catchy chorus that makes you think of waking up in a log cabin to early morning sunshine. Crayola begins as a slightly more subdued number before a bold chorus stirs everything up, and Betty Homemaker is carried along on a trademark Johnny Cash beat with classic "his and hers" vocals that playfully build to a swelling, climactic finish.
The Bears Of Blue River are from Chicago and we like them a whole lot. " - The Mad Mackerel (UK)


"Symphonic melodies, folky guitar plucking, and the all-around peaceful aura of the music and vocals caught my ear! I tend to like bands that use both a male and a female voice in creaming melodies and harmonies. Bears of Blue River do that brilliantly." - Sunsetintherearview.com


"These lovely, glowing, folksy little pop numbers bop right along with charming male & female vocals and strong instrumentation." - WLUR 91.5