WK6 - Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (10)

BLURB - An incredibly open and spacious journey, filled with interpretive storytelling. While this is a 'hard listen' at first, there is some real depth to be discovered. Unlike anything I've heard all year, it plays almost like an indie-folk film score. Upon further review, genius.

Rating - 10 out of 10

FULL STORY - I love all music. However, when music scratches at places other than your auditory system, then I really love it. The first time through this record, I listened to it kind of haphazardly. There was an incredible amount of buzz around the release of 'Veckatimest' and when I wasn't initially punched in the face with amazing-ness I was quick to write it off. After about 7 or 8 full plays, I am convinced the record is alive. I'm constantly hearing new sounds and lines and choruses and moods with every listen. More importantly, I cannot sit and listen to this album without being forced to think about something or someone. Grizzly Bear brings back the mystique of what music was always intended to be used for...................thought.

What really has captured my attention is the brilliant songwriting and lyrics. For whatever reason, it seems as if I can relate a time or event in my life to every song on this record. The lyrics and the music work as one unit to accomplish this task. Whenever there appears to be a shift in the mood or emotion of the lyrics, the music is always accompanying the shift perfectly. This helps in creating an extremely vivid and somewhat cinematic atmosphere. You can close your eyes and see the music in front of you. Everything on 'Veckatimest' is extremely visual. The best way to listen to this would be to turn all of your lights off, close your eyes, put on some huge headphones and see where it takes you. For a lack of better words, this record 'talks' to the listener.

The only thing better than the lyrics may be the music. At times there is so much going on, but it is never too much. The instrumentation coupled with Grizzly Bear's imagination and creativity take this record so many different places. For the majority of the compositions all that is needed is an acoustic guitar and a voice. So when massive string sections, percussion, well-thought out background vocals, muffled electric guitars, fuzzy keyboards and even some synth loops are folded into the recipe...it is perfection. With all of this going on you might think there would be chaos, but there really isn't. The album is simple when it needs to be, and complex when it needs to be.

One other aspect that cannot be left out of the conversation is the vocals. This album was constructed with, what appears to be, a substantial amount of importance and emphasis on the voicing of the songs. Every track is filled with countless beds of background vocals and choruses. I've never really heard a record like this. Grizzly Bear's interpretation of what a vocal should be is nothing short of brilliant. The backgrounds serve as an additional vehicle to drive the song, and provide sincerity and depth. The foreground vocals are performed with grace and civility, almost creating a religious tone. I'm quickly drawn to comparisons of a pastor leading an extremely moving sermon, where the service treads a fine line between conversation and song. It's remarkably thought-provoking and enlightening. Has my generation finally found their own Brian Wilson in Ed Droste? This is truly the music sophisticate's delight.

'Two Weeks' is the best song of the year.

Tracks

1.) Southern Point

2.) Two Weeks

3.) All We Ask

4.) Fine For Now

5.) Cheerleader

6.) Dory

7.) Ready, Able

8.) About Face

9.) Hold Still

10.) While You Wait for the Others

11.) I Will Live With You

12.) Foreground