Grizzly Bear- Shields

With Shields, the New York psych folk outfit Grizzly Bear makes a move toward subtlety, toning down some of the bright, poppy moments that made 2009's Veckatimest such a powerhouse.

WATCH THE REVIEW

Grizzly Bear- "Yet Again"

With a new album from Dirty Projectors out now and records from Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear on the way, the upper-tier indie scene this year is looking a lot like it did in 2009. Grizzly Bear's new single "Yet Again" is the second track to drop from their new record Shields, which will follow up 2009's landmark chamber pop album Veckatimest. If "Yet Again" and the previous single "Sleeping Ute" are any indication, the band's output is going to be a little more hard-edged this time around. Although it still bears the pretty harmonies and atmospheric elements that have always characterized Grizzly Bear's music, the stark guitar chords and drums on this track indicate that they may be working more in some darker territory than that which they explored on their last album. Although Shields may not turn out as sunny or as refined as Veckatimest was, "Yet Again" suggests that maybe it's not such a bad thing for this band to get their hands dirty again.

Stream "Yet Again" above and pre-order Shields now from Warp Records.

Grizzly Bear- "Sleeping Ute" (Loved)

I was hoping for a Grizzly Bear album this year, and it seems like I'm gonna get it. After a handful of solo projects since the release of the band's 2009 album, Veckatimest, the band is back with a new single titled "Sleeping Ute." I'm actually very impressed with it, and it's a surprise considering I wasn't as big on Veckatimest as I was the band's previous album, Yellow House.

To me, Veckatimest seemed to strip back the complexities I originally fell in love with in the band's music, favoring a more straightforward approach in how these guys write their beautifully layered songs.

"Sleeping Ute" brings the complications back I love in this band's music. Band member Chris Taylor's production is, once again, a slice of perfection, successfully balancing a number of sounds both electric and acoustic. A watery guitar, Christopher Bear's instinctive drumming, acoustic guitar, synths, and sax all come together into a display that feels somewhat symphonic at points. There are all sorts of hidden, sonic nuggets throughout the track, too. Replays are absolutely necessary here!

The structure of the track takes an interesting detour in its last third, venturing into beautiful interlude with Daniel Rossen's beautifully finger-picked guitar arpeggios. The track bows out shortly after this monologue-type break in the song with Daniel's vocal and guitar, and feels amazingly fresh and exciting despite the fact that Daniel just dropped a solo EP of stuff like this.

While Grizzly Bear hasn't presented anything stunningly new in terms of direction on this new song, the band continues to present beauty, detail, and refinement with some seriously captivating energy. Look for this new, yet-to-be-titled Grizzly Bear album to drop in September.