Minus the Bear gets hairy with rock that's hard to define

Minus the Bear is missing something … and it’s not a grizzly. It’s a sound that falls neatly into an established musical genre.

It could broadly be called indie rock, but there’s a certain laid-back vibe that doesn’t match other indie bands. And there’s definitely some progressive-rock tendencies, but it’s only hinted at rather than developing into the full-blown glory and self-indulgence of that genre. The Seattle quintet dabbles with electronic sounds and keyboard-driven soul, but also strips songs down to simple, acoustic arrangements.

The bottom line is that the songwriting is smart and complex, with an easygoing pop sensibility.

“I have no idea what the (bleep) we sound like. It’s rock ’n’ roll,” said drummer Erin Tate. Then, he too must add a caveat. “But it’s not like we’re ZZ Top or anything.”

Music listeners can hear Minus the Bear for themselves at The Black Sheep on Wednesday, where the band will perform with openers As Tall As Lions and Denver band Meese.

Minus the Bear came together in 2001, as the mainstream music industry was falling to pieces. They’ve grown organically since then, putting out albums, garnering a devoted fan base, and watching each national tour get a bit bigger.

At home, they rehearse together five days a week. The band’s songwriting process is messy and democratic, as they work out ideas together from the first riff to the finished product.

The band will preview three songs off their forthcoming 2010 album, Tate said. It’s the best-sounding batch of songs they’ve recorded, he said, and a testament to what a creative, hard-nosed producer can do for a band.

The boys brought in outside producer Joe Chiccarelli for the project — a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with The White Stripes, U2 and Elton John — the first time someone outside their circle took the helm.

“He kicked the living (doo-doo) out of us,” Tate said. “It was terrifying and amazing. It got to the point where, before we were even beginning to track a song, I’d have played the song 30 or 40 times already. Then we’d play it 40 or 50 more times.

“But it gave the songs a natural feel and allowed us to avoid a lot of overdubs. So it came out with a live feel and that’s something we feel like we’ve lacked in the past. I think it’s the best-sounding record we’ve ever done, because of the time we spent on the details.”

And really, does music need a definition, as long as it sounds good?

Minus the Bear, with As Tall As

Lions and Meese

Where: The Black Sheep, 2106 E. Platte Ave.

When: 8 p.m. doors, Wednesday

Tickets: $15 advance, $17 day of show; ticketweb.com

Hear the new single “Into the Mirror”: myspace.com/minusthebear