Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest seems chaotic yet at the same time boringly tame. Previous releases were more in the lo-fi style but here we have recorded proof of a band progressing. Acoustic guitars weave in and out of each song and dream-like vocal harmonies are a must but also along for the show are choirs, detailed orchestrations, acoustic instruments of all kind, electronic manipulations, horns, and layers upon layers of tracking are all thrown into the mix that is Veckatimest; and the outcome is an album produced by a very ambitious group. Then, after four or five listens, you get a better understanding of the album for it is meant to be listened to in its entirety. As well as multiple times. There are no stand alone tracks here as each is part of the puzzle that Grizzly Bear has created (and things start off very nicely with the first two tracks). The one exception would be "While You Wait For the Others" which, unlike the other 85% of the album, follows a fairly standard song structure. That is not to say this is a bad thing; music needs groups like Grizzly Bear to remind listeners that there are groups challenging music standards and creating truly original works in the process.
4.0/5.0
Standout tracks: "Southern Point" "Two Weeks" "While You Wait For the Others"
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