About Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear released Yellow House in 2006. It was a slow, steady
and stunning ride—boundless in scope and elegance. Given the album's
otherworldly charm and staying power, it's hard to believe three years
have gone by.
That might seem like a long time. But given Grizzly Bear's hectic
touring schedule, including stints with Radiohead, TV On The Radio and
Feist—as well as several performances during a five-night tribute
to Paul Simon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a co-headlining show
with the L.A. Philharmonic, and
the release of Friend, a 10-song EP of re-recorded and re-worked songs,
collaborations and covers—all of this seems very reasonable. They've
been busy.
But about a year ago, singer/songwriter Ed Droste, drummer Christopher
Bear, bassist Chris Taylor and singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen
—whose other band, Department of Eagles, released the sublime
In Ear Park last fall—began passing demos around and working
together creatively in different pairs and permutations. A few months
later, blessed with producer/engineer Chris Taylor's willingness to
transport his recording equipment, they began the recording process
for Veckatimest, which would unfold over the next six months
in three very singular locations. And in many ways, it is the recording
process that reveals this record—each space catalyzing different
interactions, inspirations, and ultimately, songs.
In July, the band spent three weeks at the Glen Tonche house in upstate
New York. The beauty, mystery and surrealistic feel to the estate made
anything seem do-able, possible and even magical. Though still finding
their feet, much of the album's groundwork was laid there. After breaking
briefly for the Radiohead tour in August, the band convened at a house
on Cape Cod (graciously provided by Droste's grandmother) where they
re-addressed and solidified the compositions they'd started at Glen
Tonche. Lastly, Grizzly Bear came home, to a church in NYC, to fine-tune
and complete the album—named Veckatimest,
after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and
was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name. Following
initial mixes by Chris Taylor, the band brought Gareth Jones (Interpol,
Liars) over from England for a final mixing session with Taylor. The
album was then mastered by Greg Calbi. Artist William O'Brien created
Veckatimest's colorful, hand drawn artwork—a perfect compliment
to the album's enigmatic title.
There is an unbelievable clarity of sound and vision to Veckatimest:
vocals (a duty now shared by all band members) are sharper and more
complex, arrangements are tighter, production is more venturous and
lyrics more affecting. Having opened the creative dialogue at such an
early stage, Grizzly Bear was able to realize these 12 songs together
as a band, making it their most collaboratively compositional album
to date. Taylor's artistry as a producer and engineer has only gotten
stronger, both Rossen and Droste's conviction as singers and lyricists
has swelled, and Bear's authority behind the drums is striking.
This yielded an unexpected mix of material that feels more confidant,
mature, focused—and most of all, dynamic. From songs like "Dory"
(a gracefully psychedelic, ever-evolving work),"Ready, Able" (a synth-y
opus, and one of four songs that boasts string arrangements by composer
Nico Muhly) and "Foreground" (a plaintive, vocal-driven send-off,
and one of two songs to feature choral arrangements also by Muhly) to
more resounding pop songs like "Two Weeks" (an other-worldly doo
wop featuring backing vocals from Beach House's Victoria LeGrand)
and "While You Wait For the Others" (a triumphant and melodically
cacophonous pop masterpiece), Veckatimest is an album of the
highest highs and lowest lows—an unbelievably diverse collection
of songs that celebrates the strength of each band member, and the power
of the whole. It was well worth the wait.
