The band started with a rather lo-fi, moody, and cerebral debut with Horn of Plenty (still one of my favorites) the focus then was largely on the sparsely laid out guitar lines and the beautiful, haunting harmonies there was an experimental leaning that made the whole record extra interesting. If you’ve been watching their trajectory over the past 6-7 years, you’ll know exactly what I mean. They have released a stream of their upcoming album “Beacon”, it leaked onto the internet long ago but I could think of nothing worse than bringing back all the disappointment I felt when “Tourist History” was released so I will allow you to judge for yourselves here is “Beacon”:Īll I can say for it at the moment is that the songs seem to vary a bit in sound.With the release of Shields this past week, the transformation of Grizzly Bear from an indie band into a full-fledged pop band is in its final stages. Once again I cannot dispute they deserved to be signed their live performances still somehow drag me in, but their albums just bore me to death. They through it all away for the safe option of popularity they did not take one risk. What were they thinking?! I thought they had so much promise. They were, however, each song of theirs was not unique and different from the status quo and as soon as the cat on the album cover of “Tourist History” reared it’s little head I wanted to kill them. I thought they were brilliant and so unique and different. When I first heard Two Door cinema club 4 years ago at the Underage festival I was amazed. When I first read a comment on YouTube under the video to “Yet Again” comparing the two I felt sick putting them in the same league as have many others:
“The Hunt” is very Radiohead-esque with it’s wailing guitar and deep piano and does bring another band name into mind: Coldplay. Much like “Veckatimest”, ‘Shields’ is an album that stands out from those of other bands to which they are often compared e.g Fleet Foxes and seems to be birthed from personal inspiration. With this modern growth to Grizzly Bear comes tracks such as “Speak In Rounds” or “Gun-Shy” which carry concepts of the “Age of Indie” and “Folk Revival Period”, in which we are trapped, to a new individual level and definition. With hints of CANT and a very ‘In Ear Park’’ kind of outbreak towards the end Sleeping Ute is the evolutionary scale of Grizzly Bear. The opening track ‘Sleeping Ute’ is reminiscent of the past GB albums whilst adding a new ‘modern’ ambience, unique to ‘Shields’. I will now attempt to take you on that journey, the journey which is their incredible return: However, there is something about ‘Shields’ which has allowed them to complete this task seemingly with ease. We all knew following up “Veckatimest” would be an incredible feat. I adore Grizzly Bear, CANT and Department of Eagles it seems anything any member of this group dabbles in is masterful and ‘Shields’ is no exception…
One of the most anticipated albums of the year and possibly the album I have been itching for the most is finally in my possession: “Shields”