Seattle-based indie rock outfit Minus the Bear has done its fair share of experimentation. But with erotic themes, smooth production and the use of a Japanese Omnichord synthesizer, the band’s fourth album, “OMNI,” proves that there’s still plenty to explore. The single “My Time” blends all three: The steamy lyrics (“You taste like sweet wine/ We are magnified/The sweat rolls down your thigh”) melt into a synth-laden, old-school R&B cut. And with its driving baritone guitar, the track “Secret Country” is one of Minus the Bear’s heaviest songs to date. Others like “Excuses” and “Dayglow Vista Rd.” showcase the group’s usual mellowness, but the sexually charged “The Thief” best represents the new direction taken on “OMNI.” Amid sultry synth and funky guitar, vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider recounts waking up alone the morning after a one-night stand: “You’ve got a real shine set in fool’s gold/I am the fool.”
