Man vs. Bear was created over a period of 2 years (2010 - 2012). All instrumentation was performed by D. Bess and the album was recorded by the talented engineer John Svec of Minstrel Recordings in Iowa City, IA. Toots Hibbert's vocal were recorded at Anchor Studios in Kingston, Jamaica in February of 2011. D. Bess wrote, edited and mixed all songs, as well as performed all instrumentation and vocals (with the exception of Toots' additional vocals on "Oh Carolina"). As Jim Musser reviewed (No Depression): "On his ambitious, genre-tripping groove-athon “Man vs. Bear,” Bess dazzles as a one-man band, writing, playing and singing everything . . . the 13 songs present a shape-shifting hybrid of dub, hip-hop, ska, reggae, funk and classic early ’70s soul."