Music: 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