Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
LABEL: Warp Records

"Soon enough, it is painless to enjoy the raw sounds and melodies being sautéed under the slab of juicy lyrics, and Veckatimest becomes quite the feast."

The Brooklyn-based four piece experimental band has been impressibly busy. This is their fourth full album to be released since November of 2004 plus a remixed version of their first and an EP made up of alternate versions and covers, Friend, following their third. Additionally, the band has toured quite a bit since 2006, including gigs with other distinguished bands such as Radiohead and TV On The Radio.

A helpful thing to know before hearing Veckatimest is that it is truly a sophisticated listen. If you hear this album and find it boring at first, you need to give it another chance. Veckatimest is densely put together and the sounds take awhile to settle into the brain. The lack of structure may be what comes off as confusing, but once you get over that, you get to the nitty gritty beauty of Grizzly Bear.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Grizzly Bear’s music is the subtle background sounds. They are randomly—yet perfectly—placed. Try listening to a song, focusing strictly on the background instrumentals. Soon enough, it is painless to enjoy the raw sounds and melodies being sautéed under the slab of juicy lyrics, and Veckatimest becomes quite the feast. Though Veckatimest takes a different approach than previous recordings, the band stays in line with the other albums by remaining mellow and maintaining simple lyrics.

While this album is nothing rowdy, it can definitely be overwhelming at times. The best example lies in “All We Ask”, where Ed Droste chimes in slowly with a sleepy voice, and by the middle of the track, has erupted into a full explosion of sound. Standing out above all is the clever order of tracks of Veckatimest, which enhances the album and demonstrates a real development for the band. The whole twelve track album could possibly air as a soundtrack to a play. The last track “Foreground” is the final act and the flawed aspects of the album are suddenly forgiven because it is so unbelievably beautiful. As the curtain falls and the choir sings, everything has come together and the crowd gives a standing ovation.

REVIEWED BY MIRANDA SERENE



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