Bear Quartet will carry your weight

One of the best tracks last year from the indie rock scene was "Carry Your Weight" with the Swedish legendary band The Bear Quartet. The band celebrated 20 years during 2009, they were formed in the northern town of Luleå back in 1989. During the years they have released plenty of records and they have become a cult band in Sweden. Even if they never have hit it off huge they are well-known and they will always be indie. So indie that they in 2009 turned down a nomination for the Swedish music prize "Grammis".

The track itself is a beautiful one with a feeling of melancholic Finnish tango. The close distance to Finland from Luleå could be one explanation but also the Swedish-Finnish roots from some of the members in The Bear Quartet could be another one. Finnish cult character M.A. Numminen has actually made a cover version on the EP "Carry Your Weight" so it becomes even more tango.

The EP "Carry Your Weight" was the second single from their album "89" released 2009. The title "89" refers back to the year of 1989 but also as an anecdote is that the release was Adrian Recordings 89th release.

On the EP there are two remixes of "Carry Your Weight" made by Strange Maps and VED. The remix by Strange Maps is my favourite.

Strange Maps is Petter Granberg, usually a member of the indie outfit Park Hotell, but he also makes slow Norwegian/Brooklyn influenced disco under the moniker Strange Maps. This version is made for forest dancing and attic parties.

VED is a one man band derived from unique and mystic clubs and labels down in Malmö. Here he creates a deep ambient, sunken marshy ground version, for your nightmares.

The Bear Quartet - Carry Your Weight

The Bear Quartet - Carry Your Weight (Strange Maps Remix Version)

The Bear Quartet - Carry Your Weight (VED Remix)