Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest
8/10

Daniel Rossen, Ed Droste, Christopher Bear and Chris Taylor can do no wrong. With this chamber pop, more psychedelic lean they have done remarkably well and really developed their sound. Starting with the almost jazzy ‘Southern Point’, its plush, storming instrumentation is illustrated with what sounds like muddled moog synth. The neo psychedelia of ‘Two Weeks’ shimmies in next with its sassy organ stabs and epicentre of drawling vocals plucking birds from the sky and meandering with such melodic malaise and ecstatic backing ‘ooohs’ accentuated with percussion so on-point it’s perfect. Victoria Legrand is supposed to be somewhere in this song but her trademark glitzy bedroom song is buried behind emphatic production and enthusiastic instrumentation. Grizzly Bear’s more upbeat approach on Veckatimest means they come across as more laidback, catchy and eccentric, less chin stroking contemplative, more enjoyable and colourful. The raunchy rock of ‘Fine For Now’ is an epic exercise in balladry with the most riveting of results. The harrowing guitar, visceral drums and scintillating vocals all work a treat. Then the static staccato of ‘Cheerleader’ comes in, all curious and wide-eyed, snapping instantly into life. This along with ‘Two Weeks’ is an automatic standout. The exquisite folk singing in ‘Dory’ is greatly embellished vocally; Grizzly Bear do impressive, luxurious song writing second to none. Their reverb-soaked guitar, hovering vocals broad in range, haunting melodies and unusual song structures make Veckatimest ever-captivating, and a broad step ahead for them musically. The delicate lilting in ‘Ready, Able’ and the captivating sprinklings of keys merged with the perfectly mixed bass cements this song as a memorable fan favourite by far. Far from their Yellow House days, Veckatimest sees Grizzly Bear grow up and get even more experimental, while retaining a slight pop edge at the same time. The stuttery façade of ‘About Face’ and the glistening glimmer of ‘Hold Still’ is mesmerising. While a bit slow in pace Veckatimest has the ability to lose focus and patience and can fade into background music. But it’s unflinchingly beautiful, and some effects like heavily delayed reverb on ‘While You Wait For The Others’ and the conjoint riffs in the bridge bring the choral vocals further into the spotlight and give it an aura of bliss. On ‘I Live With You’ the guitars are so rich and soulful that the vocals scatting atop remind of Jeff Buckley. Then wine-soaked horns cascade in, drunk on a heady mix of devotion and infatuation. It soon turns, as if emotions conflict, sending the light airy song skywards, almost in a metal-influenced riff-rock out, its impending explosion built up to a sudden, but almost anti-climactic end. This serves as a metaphor for Grizzly Bear’s eternally changing, but always challenging and captivating songs.
Sarah

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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