10/10

Romance has never been a quality fully explored in indie rock without the slightest twinge of sarcasm.  And in a time when being backed by an orchestra earns you “artistic credibility,” very few bands actually possess the talent to make music that lends itself to the intricacies of a philharmonic, much less have the flair to pull off the stunt without forcing the material.

Along comes Grizzly Bear, with its fragile magnificence, casting haunted, opulent melodies over the hipster music scene.  Veckatimest, a follow up to 2006’s ghostly Yellow House, has brushed the cobwebs aside, revealing heavenly anthems, stripped and polished with superb production.  This album disguises a brooding romanticism within its chamber pop, so much so that you may feel you’re in a medieval church.  Though Grizzly Bear consider themselves a folk band, their music is grandiose, spiritual without being religious, as Ed Droste’s vocals frequently dissolve into a crystaline reverb of a children’s choir.  His delicate voice wouldn’t be out of place presiding over the beatification of modern saints.

Though Veckatimest may have a classical feel to it, it’s very much of its time.  Flute, guitar and organ blend seamlessly to create an urgent intimacy, such as in the baroque track “Ready, Able.”  ”Cheerleader” stumbles through with an obsession gone horribly wrong as Chris Taylor sings “I’m shooting them myself…”  Creepiness hasn’t sounded this beautiful .   The doo-wop single “Two Weeks,”  ironically one of the band’s catchiest songs, proves that there are rewards for those who embrace the subtlety of this record.  And in spite of its elegies and invocations, Veckatimest is an exercise in subtlety - in the most majestic of ways.

http://www.grizzly-bear.net

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