Post-punk/electro rockers Bear Hands have just returned with their first piece of new music in five years, the euro-deranged “Intrusive Thoughts.”

“Intrusive Thoughts” is a sharp departure musically from where Bear Hands left off with their 2019 album, Fake Tunes. The single was recorded at a small home studio out in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and produced by Elliott Kozel (Yves Tumor, SZA, Lizzo), Alex M and the band.

Bear Hand’s singer/songwriter Dylan Rau explains, “’Intrusive Thoughts’ is the song that’s playing in my head all day and I can’t get it out. Not that I really want to. Well sometimes I do when I’m trying to do basic math or pick a restaurant to eat at with my girlfriend. I think I wrote it about being bored of everything and feeling dissatisfied with everyone and everything around me. Not that I’m super misanthropic in general but this song might make you that way if you get it stuck in your head so watch out.”

He continues, “The video was deeply influenced by a motivational speaker/drummer who toured all the elementary schools in my home state with a massive 30+ piece drum kit and chintzy light show. He loved drums, hated drugs, and was easily identified as a crazed megalomaniac by at least one naive fifth grader (me). I think I remember him saying he could be touring with Bowie if he wanted but that it was more important to educate the youth. Ha!

Watch the Orson Oblowitz-directed, Alex Russek-edited music video below.

2024 also marks ten years since the release of Distraction, the acclaimed sophomore album from Bear Hands. To celebrate, the band has confirmed the “Distraction 10” fall tour of North America, with dates kicking off on October 27th in Hartford, Connecticut, and concluding in Seattle, Washington, on November 17th. The tour makes stops in Brooklyn, New York, for a show at Music Hall Of Williamsburg on November 1st and at the Teragram in Los Angeles, California on November 12th.

All dates are listed below, and tickets are on-sale June 7th at 10 am local time here.

Tour dates:

10/27 – New Park – West Hartford, CT

10/29 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA

10/30 – Union Stage – Washington, DC

11/1 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY

11/2 – Middle East – Cambridge, MA

11/4 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON

11/5 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI

11/6 – Outset – Chicago, IL

11/7 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN

11/9 – Meow Wolf – Denver, CO

11/11 – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ

11/12 – Teragram – Los Angeles, CA

11/13 – Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA

11/15 – Alladin Theatre – Portland, OR

11/16 – Neumos – Seattle, WA