Grizzly Bear: Shields
Grizzly Bear: Your New Rock Heroes?
Grizzly Bear - Shields
Warp
Warp
Indie
Well done Grizzly Bear. You’ve done it again. Yes, the indie American band have released yet another brilliant album. It’s not too easy on the ear on first listen, mind. But few good, and specifically long-lasting albums, ever really are. (Plus it’s got to be more rewarding than listening to the instant impact sounds of Rihanna, right?)
From the start, Shields is busy, complex and has clearly had lots (and lots) of thought put into it. You get the impression that many midnight music-making sessions in a back room in Brooklyn have been dedicated to every note, lyric and beat.
The first track, Sleeping Ute, is strong. It almost sounds like one big jamming session. Not the type of jamming session that happens in real life, but the type that only happens in films, where everything just happens to fall perfectly into place and sounds totally brilliant. The next track, Speak in Rounds, continues in this vein. The album takes a chill out break with track number three, Adelma, which could easily be the soundtrack for a submarine horror movie.
Next, the best track on the album, Yet Again. It’s a forward-thrusting track that can only be described as fantastic. Sure, it’s been likened to Coldplay, but Coldplay were good once. Remember Yellow, The Scientist, Don’t Panic? They’re great songs. Really.
There are some other stand-out tracks on the album – A Simple Answer, Sun in Your Eyes and the love song Half Gate are particular winners.
As well as the Coldplay reference, Shields has also drawn comparisons to Radiohead (hooray), Beirut (wahoo) and Arcade Fire (yes!). But compare as much as you like, this album proves, as ever, that there really is only one Grizzly Bear.
-
Music
new music
Music Reviews
indie
sophie herdman