Daily Archives: May 23, 2009

Here’s a little treat to whet your appetite for Grizzly Bear‘s new and possibly most fully realized album yet, Veckatimest, out on Tuesday.

The video for “Two Weeks,” below, will make you smile, but I hope not in quite the same way as the band!

I liked Grizzly Bear’s albums, but until the first time I saw them live  — doing a cover of “Mother and Child Reunion” at one of the Paul Simon shows last fall at the Brooklyn Academy of Music — I didn’t realize just how good they really can be.  I’ve seen them once since then, and that show further reinforced my conclusion that this is one of the most creative, talented and musical young bands on the scene today.

But the band’s recorded output seemed to me to pale in comparison to its incredibly intense stage presence. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear’s fourth album, rights that wrong. Every track is strong, focused and mesmerizing, like the band’s live show. I’m blown away, and I’ll be surprised if you aren’t impressed, too. (Get a listen to all the tracks on the band’s MySpace page.)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

The video, directed by Patrick Daughters, is an absolute joy to watch. You’ll want to watch this glistening, surreal little film over and over.

Grizzly Bear (with side project Here We Go Magic opening) has three NYC shows next week in celebration of the new album, and they’re all sold out: Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. at Manhattan’s Town Hall and next Sunday at 7 p.m. at The Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. If you don’t have a ticket, you’re really missing out. This is a show that I’d pay a premium to a scalper to see.