GRIZZLY BEAR - Veckatimest
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 10:00AM
soundscapes in Folk/Singer-songwriter, Pop/Rock, Prog/Art/Noise

Sometimes you just wish Pitchfork would shut up already. It's not that I question their sincerity, but their rabid hyperbole leading up to this very anticipated third album by Grizzly Bear only further incites the wolves of backlash to salivate at the Brooklyn quartet's backdoor, 'cause here's the thing: it's not as though Veckatimest sits above reproach. Despite their burly moniker, Grizzly Bear make precious, subtle, intricate indie-folk that is short on backbone and long on wind--they don't sit well jammed down your throat. Their strength is as the underdog, the private find; this whole "saviours of indie" thing fits as awkwardly as a David Byrne hand-me-down. But away from the impossible glare of perfect-score track reviews and hopelessly knock-kneed blogging, the true beauty of this very lovely album emerges. Veckatimest is a well-struck merger between 2006 breakout Yellow House (see awesome rolling and tumbling opener "Southern Point") and co-lead vocalist Daniel Rossen's 2008 Department Of Eagles disc In Ear Park (the crisp trot of "While You Wait For The Others"), and further listens really reveal some expert writing and performances, via the gently cascading waves of "Cheerleader" and the devastating climaxes of "I Live With You". As for the inevitable backlash, loving Grizzly Bear is like believing in Christmas--sure, you can find plenty of logical reasons not to believe the hype, but those who do are guaranteed to have a lot more magic and happiness in their lives.

Article originally appeared on Soundscapes - 572 College Street Toronto (http://www.soundscapesmusic.com/).
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