9. Grizzly Bear. Shields.
Indie music in 2013 is in a purgatorial no man's land, at least from a British perspective it would be fair to say. Chart pop gets the brunt of the wrath from the social media trolls and vinyl dwellers (often fairly) but in our great isles it seems as though the print media is ready to announce the coronation of the 'next big thing' as soon as their toes become twitchy.
'_______ will bring back the passion'
'_____ ready to take the world by storm!'
See Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, The Libertines, The Strokes, Killers etc.
The merit of these bands is not the question here, moreover what the expectations are for our latest greatest hope. It's like dating a 200 shot firework box. Big, loud, eccentric and a lot of fun but will you remember it in the morning? Some may.
Which brings us squarely onto the shoulders of this most un-grizzly of bears, indie music in USA. Here The National, Spoon, Dirty Projectors, Modest Mouse (...the list is endless) seems to operate in almost the opposite way. If its too brazen to compare that scene to the ageing of fine wine then it's staggering to see the progression of what is an intelligent brand of songwriting starting 'underground' and moving into arenas. Geeks winning big.
This is fascinatingly, almost unbelievably, what Grizzly Bear have conspired to manage. Now this may be by design or simply word-of-mouth, but the songs have to lend themselves to that possibility in the first place.
Shields is not Veckatimest, it's comparitively shy, alluringly nervous sibling. What songs like 'Yet Again' pull off is arena-sized rock complex enough to fill arenas yet dense enough to reveal its complexities over dozens of listens in the comfort of homes.
Comparisons to Coldplay were made over the interwebs at the time of this single's release much to the ire of the band's loyal following but there's some truth in that ribbing. However, the difference here, it's music for the almost-masses yet without resorting to the lowest common denominator.
Songs like Sun In Your Eyes and Half Gate are wide eyed and bulging but always relatable in their delivery. Inventive yet with emotional honesty and all too lacking in pop these days and bereft of 'heart, never be apart' clunkiness. In that sense it reminds me of Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Inadvertently I've paid this thoughtful, melodically rich album the greatest compliment I can.
Recycle this: Sun In Your Eyes, A Simple Answer, Half Gate
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