One of my favorite bands of all time was a Michigan, post-hardcore band called Bear vs. Shark. Their debut album, Right Now, You’re in the Best of Hands. And if Something isn’t Quite Right, Your Doctor will Know in a Hurry, is also in my Top 20 Albums of All-Time. Of course, my discovery of the band happened around the same time they broke up in 2005. As the story goes, the best bands are the ones that don’t stick around for too long. In the case of Bear vs. Shark, it was all too unfortunate for myself to have never caught them live.

Following the band’s demise, singer Marc Paffi and ex-BVS drummer Brandon Moss reunited alongside members of Wildcatting to form Bars of Gold. The sound is equal parts Bear vs. Shark and Wildcatting, forming a distinctly original Bars of Gold style. Their song, “Coffee with Pele,” is a great first song to introduce you to the band’s indie-rock sound.