Sounds

Today’s Sounds: Grizzly Bear

by Lorraine Carpenter

Recently cited as one of the 20 worst hipster bands by the L.A. Weekly blog, Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear are an especially easy target for hipster-haters. Unlike Arcade Fire, their music and show doesn’t overflow with infectious energy. Unlike Animal Collective, their sound is subdued, even bordering on easy listening at times. Unlike Ariel Pink, their potential detractors aren’t muzzled by the possibility that the band may be crazy or retarded.
So yeah, they’re disliked in some circles, but that’s largely due to the devotion they inspire in others. Will this album satisfy the faithful? Sure! Most critics seem to be fingering themselves with excitement over this one, and I have to admit that I’ll be washing my hands for a while before leaving the house today.

Record:

Grizzly Bear, Shields (Warp)

 
Recently cited as one of the 20 worst hipster bands by the L.A. Weekly blog, Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear are an especially easy target for hipster-haters. Unlike Arcade Fire, their music and show doesn’t overflow with infectious energy. Unlike Animal Collective, their sound is subdued, even bordering on easy listening at times. Unlike Ariel Pink, their potential detractors aren’t muzzled by the possibility that the band may be crazy or retarded.

So yeah, they’re disliked in some circles, but that’s largely due to the devotion they inspire in others. Will this album satisfy the faithful? Sure! Most critics seem to be fingering themselves with excitement over this one, and I have to admit that I’ll be washing my hands for a while before leaving the house today.

This fourth album doesn’t present a stylistic departure — if there was one in the early stages, it likely got flushed with their aborted Texas sessions — and there’s even evidence of some wheel-spinning in the guitar work and vocal melodies. What has evolved is the depth of subtle emotional effects in the songwriting. “Yet Again” is a beautiful song, probably the best of the set. It reminds me of the things I loved about that first Shins record, but it’s realized with a more mature and experienced hands than James Mercer had back in 2002.

“Gun-shy” is great balm for raw nerves, “Speak in Rounds” is an open field of kicks and hooks, and while songs like “The Hunt” may bring back bad memories of AM radio (as opposed to good memories of AM radio, and there are plenty of those), that kind of content is kept to a minimum. It won’t get your foulard in a twist. Or uncurl your moustache.

Grizzly Bear play Pop Montreal with Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Olympia on Sunday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m., $40

Track:

Stay+, “Crashed”

Let this mysterious Manchester act (formerly called Christian AIDS) suck you into their K hole and keep you moving indefinitely. Get this on your headphones as you walk, bike or run to the Pop church tonight.
 
Stay+ – “Crashed” (out soon on Black Butter) by STAY+
 

Video:

Opossom, “Girl”

 
Savour the vintage flavour of this frilly pop song by Auckland’s Kody Nielson, former leader of the Mint Chicks. Warning: the urge to buy a black unitard and bust some bizarre moves may be overwhelming.
 

Posted in Sounds

by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.

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