Comprising songs that were written mostly before he emerged as leader of the multicultural, hip-hop-influenced pop group
Nahko and Medicine for the People,
My Name Is Bear is the more personal solo debut of
Nahko Bear. Released under just his first name, it was inspired by events in his teens and early twenties, including meeting his birth mother and coming of age during a period split between Alaska, Louisiana, and Hawaii as well as his main base of Portland, Oregon. Quieter and more reflective than much of his band's music without sacrificing a certain upbeat spirit, the album incorporates spoken commentary and field recordings from his travels during that time. Calling it a career "prequel," it arrived in 2017, a year after his group's third LP,
Hoka. ~ Marcy Donelson