Jeremy Enigk has never been content with sticking to one musical style. After the abrupt implosion of Sunny Day Real Estate for the first time in 1995, Enigk recorded an batch of decidedly stripped down melodies for his first solo piece, The Return of the Frog King. Then when he returned to Sunny Day Real Estate as a born-again Christian in 1998, Enigk infused his newfound faith into the lyrical content of the band's final album, The Rising Tide. Still, Enigk’s music changed even more after recording a piece with former band mates Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith as the Fire Theft, as well as two more excellent solo albums. Now, with his new record, we see Enigk returning to his roots with the sounds that made Sunny Day Real Estate so influential amongst the indie rockers. Has the ever-shifting musician finally come full circle?

Well, despite Enigk's claim that OK Bear features a return to the loud guitar rock that, for the most part, characterized Sunny Day Real Estate, the album is more accurately described as a conglomoeration of Enigk's career, featuring numerous styles and sounds from every project he participated in. At the same time, he enters new territory with songs like the country-tinged "Same Side Imaginary." Although, we would all love to hear new material from Enigk that rivals the influential classics he helped pen with Sunny Day Real Estate, OK Bear contains a set of songs that are undeniably Enigk; orchestral, atmospheric and beautiful.

Like a few other songs on the record such as “Life's Too Short” and “In A Look,” album opener “Mind Idea” could fit nicely into the end of Sunny Day Real Estate's library. These mellow tracks are reminiscent of the departure from SDRE’s traditional sound that was The Rising Tide. With a Sunny Day Real Estate reunion possibly on the horizon, I don't think it would be a stretch to assume that Enigk attempted to craft SDRE-inspired songs on OK Bear. That said, while these songs are close in sound, Enigk is definitely going to require the help of his former band mates if he is ever to achieve that which is Sunny Day Real Estate.

That said, the aforementioned songs from OK Bear are in no way failures. In fact, “In A Look” could be one of the best songs Enigk has written - period. Displaying his talent for orchestration, the track features layers of jarring, distorted piano along with acoustic and electric guitars that meld together perfectly to create a beautiful melody to back Enigk's signature wail. The following song, “Same Side Imaginary” is a complete reversal containing clean instruments and a soft drum beat that leads into an undeniably country-esque chorus that threatens to turn country haters such as myself.

The final three songs on the album gradually get softer and softer until the final fade out. Starting with “Make Believe,” this trio demonstrates that despite Enigk's fame as the front man of one of the loudest and most influential emo bands ever, he has no problems stripping down to a single acoustic guitar or piano with soft orchestral accompaniment. Enigk's vocals on the chorus of “Make Believe” are truly awe inspiring, regardless of his ever aging vocal cords.

While none of Enigk's solo albums received the same critical acclaim as Sunny Day Real Estate, he has crafted several albums that deserve it. The problem, I think, is that too many people expect to hear something similar to SDRE and are quick to dismiss the often quieter music present on Enigk's solo albums. It’s a true shame since the beautiful orchestration and arrangements on all of his albums (OK Bear in particular) become much more apparent and enjoyable after repeated and careful listening. While perhaps not as beautiful as the chamber pop of Return of the Frog Queen, with OK Bear, Enigk has certainly succeeded in creating another fantastic record that fits in well with the rest of his varied catalog.

Track List

1. Mind Idea (2:37)
2. Late Of Camera (2:59)
3. April Storm (3:43)
4. Life's Too Short (3:07)
5. Just A State Of Mind (3:01)
6. In A Look (3:56)
7. Sandwich Time (3:15)
8. Same Side Imaginary (3:41)
9. Restart (2:40)
10. Make Believe (2:33)
11. Vale Oso (3:17)
12. Sant Feliu De Guixols (3:11)