Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest (Warp Records)

Ahhh… Spring time! As the days become longer and my surroundings become greener, I find myself in a better frame of mind. After a winter that was marked by economic recession and national tragedies, all I want to do is escape the daily grind and enjoy all that this time of year has to offer. Maybe a nature walk through a meadow, or a hike up a scenic mountain is what I require... However, if you are not feeling as environmentally inclined as I am, but still want the satisfaction of experiencing your own seasonal rebirth, why not have a listen to Grizzly Bear’s new album Veckatimest?

Emerging from a three year recording hibernation with their third full length studio album, Grizzly Bear brings all the psych-folk and vocal harmonies you would expect, and some catchy surprises you may not have. And, just as you can count on this time of year to never disappoint aesthetically, you can look to Grizzly Bear to give you that spring in your step you have been looking for the past three months.

I had first caught wind of Grizzly Bear’s new album in late 2008 when a performance of While You Wait for the Others was circulating around the web. Upon first listen I was not too impressed; though, to be fair, it was a performance from a radio station and the song had not been arranged completely by the band. So, when I first listened to Veckatimest I did so with a bit of reluctance. For any of you who are not too familiar with the band I like to think of them as a bouquet of flowers with some Animal Collective, Scott Walker blossoms and a touch of Philip Glass thrown in for a nice accent. They have come to be known for their experimental nature and use of ambient noises but have still maintained classic song-writing sensabilites as the main framework for some of their songs. All that is present in Veckatimest, but this time around, the band has decided to keep things a little more upbeat and give the listener something to really focus on with a more structured body of work.

Songs like Southern Point, Two Weeks and the aforementioned While You Wait for the Others are ones that represent the more upbeat, rebirth feel that the band were going for and honestly songs that could even pass for radio singles. What really catches you on songs like Two Weeks and While You Wait or the Others, is how Grizzly Bear make their choruses explode. On Two weeks it's the piano crescendos and on While You Wait for the Others it's the backing vocal harmonies bellowed out by Ed, Chris and Christopher. On the other hand Dory and Hold Still remind you that Grizzly Bear have not abandoned their trademark ambient/psych-folk sound, but that they rather have become more concerned with developing and building off of that aspect of their music. One song that I hope doesn't fly under the radar is Ready Able. Ready Able, in my opinion, encompasses Grizzly Bear up until this point. Beautifully crafted string arrangements, vocal delivery that seems to swallow you whole and all of this while remaining true to their hip, Brooklyn roots.

The aspect of this album that I enjoyed most is its cohesiveness. Each song’s place on the album seems deliberate and helps to develop the overall feel of the album. This is not to say that it is in any way a concept album. Still, Veckatimest is an album that must be enjoyed and not just passively listend to while studying for mid-terms. With that said find a nice serene spot under a tree and really allow yourself to take some time and enjoy all that Veckatimest has to offer.

-David Alfano March 19, 2009

Veckatimest is out May 26, 2009 0n Warp Records

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

The Thermals - Now We Can See

I feel like I should preface this review with some form of a "disclaimer." You see, The Thermals, an indie-post-power-pop-punk band from Portland, Oregon, are my most favorite band in the whole wide world. There, disclaimed.

Now let me get it all out: "OH MY GOD GUYS THIS IS THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR HANDS DOWN THE BESTEST WOO!" ..OK, phew now that that's out of my system..

Now We Can See is The Thermals' fourth album, and will be officially released on April 7th. For anyone even remotely familiar with The Thermals back catalog Now We Can See is an entirely different beast. Whereas their first 3 albums were raucous affairs in lo-fi Indie punk this album has much larger melodies, bombastic production values (Via John Congleton, producer for Explosions in the Sky, Polyphonic Spree, and more), and longer, fuller songs.

Lead singer Hutch Harris' lyrical talent has also evolved to fit this bigger sound. While 2006's The Body, The Blood, The Machine was an overtly political album, Now We Can See focuses on a more mature motif of "songs from when we were alive." Fittingly this motif features songs with titles like "When We Were Alive" or the pop-punk opening gem "When I Died." The more grown up mood shines the most on the nearly six minute track "At the Bottom of the Sea", "I Called Out Your Name" and the huge sounding album highlight "How We Fade".

Don't fret however, there's still plenty of hard hitting, punchy stuff up for offer here. Specifically the driving force of "When I Was Afraid" and the incredibly energetic album closer "You Dissolve". Not to mention the infectiously catchy title track that's been making the rounds on the web the past few weeks.

At the end of the day Now We Can See is The Thermals most fully realized album yet, and well worth your time to check out. I'm saying that as a music lover in general and not just a kid obsessed with The Thermals(which I am). It's hard for me to imagine anyone not having a good time with this one, so check it out!

Now We Can See is out on Kill Rock Stars, April 7th, 2009.

Now We Can See - The Thermals

The Airborne Toxic Event- The Airborne Toxic Event

Album released: August 5, 2008

I'm not sure if it's the weather, but I've been uncharacteristically chipper lately.  Maybe it's my hopes that the snow is finally gone for good and that faint distinct aroma of spring hiding behind the harsh winds is more than my imagination playing tricks on me.  Maybe it's the constant flow of coffee I have pumping through my veins day after day.  I'm not sure.  It's during this time of year I like to revisit bands I never really put much thought into the first time I heard them.  Spring is rebirth, so why not rediscover new music?  

Are The Airborne Toxic Event anything new and fantastic?  No, not especially.  There are times I'd swear I was listening to some unreleased Killers material, or the new Strokes album, after they rediscovered The Smiths.  But if they are so run of the mill like I claim, why listen?  I guess the self-titled debut album just hit me at the right time.  I mean, what better time to listen to forlorn lyrics over retro 60's British rock then the time of the year where contrasting seasons mesh together?  

I read other reviews where they tore this album apart, but TATE just seem like a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously.  While some of the lyrics, like the chorus for "Gasoline", are childish and "Happiness is Overrated" IS The Killers, you gotta take it for what it is: a decent debut album from a band that could have great potential if they sounded a little less like their contemporaries.      

It's a feel good album that flirts with retro and modern rock.  It's almost impossible to stop yourself from humming along to songs like "Does This Mean You're Moving On" and "Wishing Well".  It's great throw-the-headphones-on-and-walk-around-town music-on-a-sunny-day music.  And when Punxsutawney Phil's prediction starts to come true, what else I could ask for?

The Airborne Toxic Event was released on August 5, 2008 on Majordomo Records.

Not only is she pretty, but she can sing too!...