Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Album Review)

 

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

(2009)


My copy: 2012 reissue by Warp Records.


In 2009 countless indie fans eagerly awaited the release of Veckatimest, the ambitious third studio album from NYC’s Grizzly Bear. Veckatimest itself is a testament to the importance of dedicating time to production, as it is truly one of the most well-recorded albums of its time. 

“Southern Point” is one of two genuinely genius moments on the record as the music jumps straight in with a folksy acoustic shuffle that slithers and shifts with a refined sense of purpose. The vocals are dramatic: it is a detriment later on the album but in “Southern Point” it feels appropriate in the context of the ever-shifting atmosphere of the music. “Southern Point” is compositionally airtight and has no downtime between the ominous buildups and the lush releases of layered vocals and jangled guitar. 

Grizzly Bear achieved their biggest commercial hit with “Two Weeks,” a simple but effective take on chamber pop that features catchy choruses and a melodic vocal motif that reappears throughout. The vocals begin to reach an obnoxious level of theatrical on “All We Ask” but excellent usage of instrumental dynamics make up for some of the over the top crooning. “Fine For Now” shows that Grizzly Bear have mastered the ability to get heavy without relying on distortion or overly affected instruments: the song cracks and explodes with washed-out cymbals and ringing guitars that are almost entirely clean sounding. 

“Cheerleader” feels like an RnB take on Tame Impala that ends up being mostly forgettable in spite of its grooviness. The vocals reach unbearable levels of corniness on “Dory,” where it becomes apparent that Grizzly Bear really wanted to experiment with lots of vocalized melodies and even with good harmonies it just comes across as forced. There are clear folk influences across Veckatimest, with the vocals feeling like a less grounded take on Tom Rapp’s vibrato laden performances with Pearls Before Swine. 

A romantic energy enters on “Ready, Able” with palm-muted guitars that draw more from RnB while fluttering drums add color and vibrancy. “About Face” is a playful polyrhythmic take on freak-folk with clicking percussion and swelling instruments that give breathability to the music and distract from the overly forward vocals. “Hold Still” has cool prickly mixing that allows certain elements of the guitar performance to stand out. The vocals are at their most unbearable during the bridge section of “While You Wait For The Others” where one could confuse Edward Droste’s performance for that of a squawking bird; in spite of this, the music is delightfully jagged before diving into a canyon of reverb and bouncing instruments. 

“I Live With You” is the second moment of pure genius that hangs the angelic voices of a choir on curtains of sheer paranoia in which Droste’s dramatic singing is actually apt. “I Live With You” devolves into haunting crashes of insanity with angular bass melodies and an impressive level of density; it is the most unhinged moment on the record and is sure to cement itself in your memory. Unfortunately, “Foreground” is a largely forgettable closer that is likened to Thom Yorke’s yawn-inducing falsetto ballads on In Rainbows. 

Veckatimest is deserving of recognition for just how incredibly lush everything manages to feel, with some of the best sounding drums recorded to an album of this style. Despite consistently impressive harmonies, overly-dramatic and annoying vocals rip the spotlight away from the instrumental compositions, and had the album taken a more subtle approach to vocal melodies it would likely be a truly amazing record.

 Veckatimest is still widely available.

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