Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest

    So, another week of an "oldie". But, really is 2009 that old yet? And, I'm expecting Octorber to be full of great releases. Plus, I've been listening to this album a lot lately. It has just struck a chord with me, so I want to make sure all you readers out there know about it. Hailed as Johnny Greenwood's (of Radiohead) favorite bands, Grizzly Bear was introduced to me by that comment about a year ago. They are a indie folk, lo-fi, psych-folk rock band from Brooklyn that possesses great layering sensibilities and a knack for creating moments in songs that are, I think, really special and unique. I've never heard another band like it, to be sure, and going back and listening to other albums previous to Vickatimest has been really enjoyable too. Vickatimest is for sure their most refined, and has been described as more accessible poppy music; but, that is only understood in the context of their younger work. Check out some of the album Yellow House (2006) here on their really cool looking website, as well as their EPs and stuff, or go to the MySpace here and listen to Horn of Plenty (2004), their debut, or its remix album from 2005. Their old stuff does dip in to the realm of lo-fi much more, so be prepared in that sense.
    Is the album artwork, by Chicago artist William O'Brien, cool or what? I love how it has pinks (one hot!) and still manages to look rustic and old worldly. I think it agrees with the album very well, it was chosen by the band from a few different pieces O'Brien was working on at the time I guess, and while he didn't understand their choice at first, after listening to the album realized how well it fit. Their use of more pointed, almost steel sounding, guitars, for example, against a back drop of lo-fi or psychedelic vocals; it is just eerie almost. The whole album makes me think of a mystery or film noir. More about Grizzly Bear's style, I love the vocals: background, octaves (in "All We Ask" for ex.), and tri-part harmonizing. And the laid back feeling of every song is relaxing, while intensely engaging, because their music is complex, rhythmically and constructively. Every song has more than just intro, verse, chorus, bridge and coda. They start in one setting sometimes move to another, they have life as they grow and formulate.
    I especially love the songs "Southern Point", which is almost like a jazz song, "Dory", it's just plain gorgeous and has a fantastic ending section, and the next song "Ready, Able", which has moments of waltz and then almost gyspy music with the organ--it is great to hear songs in a 3 meter--and "I Live With You", which just wants to burst the whole song and finally leading to a great climax! So, I will leave you with the links to the various websites you can listen to stuff on, and also my favorite, "Dory", over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks' if you feel you need to be convinced first. Enjoy!