Veckatimest is the highly anticipated new album from Brooklyn experimental indie rock quartet Grizzly Bear. But if you're reading this you probably already know that.
Now I've never understood the fanatical devotion that the band inspired among its fans. However, as a (relatively) open minded individual I was pleasantly surprised at what I heard on the new album.
My impressions of Grizzly Bear are that they are generally a group concerned with pushing boundaries and experimenting with sonics rather than constructing enjoyable songs.
That impression changed dramatically with the immediately engaging "Southern Point". It's a soaring track featuring catchy Afro rhythms.
Many of the tracks on Veckatimest are similarly intriguing. "Two Weeks" stands tall with Beach Boy-esque vocal harmonies. That's an element also present on the twisted Byrds-influenced "Fine For Now", which also possesses a stunning musical breakdown. "I Live With You" is build around a lo-fi musical explosion. On the flipside, but no less effective, is "Dory", a ghostly track with a stripped-down TV On The Radio aura. "While You Wait for the Others" even has *gasp* a hook!
The band doesn't completely overturn my previous opinions of them. There are still several tracks that fall within the moody/ambient category ("Hold Still", "All We Ask", "Ready Able", etc). These still tend to be dull affairs. I have to work hard to resist hitting the skip button in those cases.
With Veckatimest Grizzly Bear have created an album that could see them move from "critical darlings" to something more widely appreciated.
Grizzly Bear play the Phoenix in Toronto on June 5th.
Best tracks: "Southern Point", "I Live With You"
Track listing for Veckatimest:
- Southern Point
- Two Weeks
- All We Ask
- Fine For Now
- Cheerleader
- Dory
- Ready Able
- About Face
- Hold Still
- While You Wait for the Others
- I Lived With You
- Foreground
8.0/10
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