Veckatimest
By Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear’s latest album is certainly a multiple-listen album. When I first heard Veckatimest I thought it was good, but wasn’t incredibly impressed. After reading countless ‘Best of the Year’ lists and having the album show up on it, I decided to take another listen —and I’m glad I did.
What makes this album interesting is the simple little flourishes added to each somewhat somber song to take it to that level of seeming simple and restrained to being complicated and sophisticated. Each song takes simple premises and builds upon them on layers of sound—allowing the listener to hear new things every time. I can’t help but think of The Beach Boys in how their style of Pop comes through on songs like “Two Weeks” and “Ready, Able”. Daniel Rossen’s deep vocals are often accented by slight increases in pitch to allow even simple songs that elegance of well composed music where the lyrics take on a more emotive state, well accompanied by minimal instrumentation.
Grizzly Bear is certainly a band worth watching in the next few years, even if you must listen to each album several times before fully appreciating it.
Standout Tracks:
- Two Weeks
- Cheerleader
- Read, Able
- While You Wait for the Others