Truth be told, I’ve never considered myself much of a
Grizzly Bear fan. Despite more than a handful of intense listening sessions to
their three previous full lengths, I would always find myself more momentarily
appeased than I would actually impressed by the Brooklyn quartet. Until now. On
their fourth studio album, Shields, the four individuals' noteworthy
musicianship finally synced up in all the right ways for me.
On opener “Sleeping Ute”, the epic grandeur that led me to
champion the arrangement-heavy works of Daniel Rossen’s solo Silent Hour/Golden
Mile EP as well as Department of Eagles’ In Ear Park finally seeps into Grizzly
Bear’s music-making in a big way. With its complex prog-rock stylings ,
“Sleeping Ute”’s various moving parts are
birthed, interlocked, deconstructed, and reconfigured right before
you as the track crests and troughs alongside Rossen’s meandering vocals. It’s a mammoth sprawl which leads you to
wonder just how an album can continue from it and Grizzly Bear answer with
“Speak in Rounds”, simple and percussion-driven before exploding into action.
The fast-paced intricacy of “Sleeping Ute” is still at work here albeit on a
smaller microcosmic scale as the tune shifts intermittently between sauntering
trot and full on blustering gallop.
And in an unexpected but no less enjoyable twist, Grizzly
Bear bridge “Speak in Rounds” and “Yet Again” with “Adeima” - a short musical
interlude which riffs on the end of “Speak in Rounds” and functions mostly as a
means of sonic experimentation and pseudo palate cleanser. “Yet Again” behaves not unlike a parallel of
“Sleeping Ute” sharing its rock foundation but channeling it in a far less
showy manner. There’s no guitar pyrotechnics or the seeming one-upmanship of
“Sleeping Ute” and yet it’s far from a dumbed down version. “Yet Again” is
filled with smaller intricacies like the upward inflected guitar riffs that add
some spice to its forward-moving momentous plod.
“The Hunt”, with its sparse piano accompanied vocals
provided by Ed Droste, is the first moment (second if you count “Adeima”) where
you get a break from the impressive weight of the group’s musical ideas that
pepper and fill the album to its very brim. It plumbs yet unchartered emotional
depths (as far as Shields is concerned) and provides an almost jarring change
of pace with its sense of delicacy and quiet smack dab in the center of the
album. And after such a soft piece of introspection, “A Simple Answer” seems
complementary. Nearly double the length of its predecessor, the track marches
on upon pulsing piano lines until about halfway through when the ground falls
out and Rossen’s even-tempered narrative swoops, cranes, and soars.
“What’s Wrong” stands as one of the album’s foremost
examples of Grizzly Bear’s excellent musicianship on display (another perhaps
more noteable display being “Half Gate”) not in the sense of their impressive
ability to create exceptional moments but in the band’s everything and the
kitchen sink approach to the track while also managing to keep it relatively
quiet and simple. Evidence of the foursome’s individual musical talents shift
in an out of focus (like Chris Taylor’s clarinet) and little enjoyment musical
moments that are easy to miss but great if you catch (namely how the melody
shifts from part to part starting in the vocals before shifting in the piano
line and subsequently handed off to the clarinet) are peppered throughout. “gun-shy”, with its bright arcs of sound,
recalls Yellow House far more than any
other track on Shields but its straightforward nature and lack of intense
layering is one of the most notable things that distinguishes it as proper
Shields track. It features, quite honestly my favorite vocal performance from
Ed Droste in Grizzly Bear’s entire catalog which is saying something. It’s
simple but not base and the bent guitar riffs provide an interesting
accompaniment
.
“Half Gate”, another display of Grizzly Bear’s
overwhelmingly stellar musicianship, comes after Shields takes a bit of a minor
slant and bursts forward with an endearing smile-inducing brightness and a
lushness found in the most beguiling of orchestral pop. It surges forth with an
intense clamor and ear-catching rise and fall where the bright, hopeful rush
takes on a slightly darker tint before exploded triumphant once-again. “Half
Gate”, to me represents one of the true strengths of Shields, having Droste and
Rossen trade vocal lines at precisely the right time to give it extra punch.
Rossen’s emotive swells providing the track with a forward push and deeper well
of feeling than Droste’s. But the two work together excellently, handing off
vocal duties that both enhance Droste’s narrative and ground Rossen’s plaintive
roar.
Grizzly Bear’s decision to close out the album with “Sun in
Your Eyes” is a feat of exceptional largesse. Once again featuring Rossen on
vocals, the track makes abundant use of the man’s vocal strength. “Sun in Your
Eyes” can easily be an example of Shields machinations on a smaller scale – as
we’re treated to moments of rising intensity before they sudden abate before
building back up again. “Sun In Your Eyes” is a work of tension and release,
giving up only what is expected before upping the ante time after time shifting
between energetic rock jam, and calm, softer moment where the lyrics read much
like poetry, “Sun In Your Eyes” is an excellent closer fully capitalizing on
its seven minute length and milking it for every second.
After my initial taste of Shields I was certain of its
status as the best Grizzly Bear album in their catalog, an assertion that has
only grown stronger and more certain with each subsequent listen. Whereas on
previous records I could cherry pick one or two favorite tracks and damn the
rest, Shields is both incredibly cohesive as an album as well as in songwriting
skill. Each track leans just enough on each other that you feel strange trying
to pluck a single track from among them. Even if you can somehow pick out a
favorite chances are the many of Shields tracks are not far behind. Shields is
the first Grizzly Bear album where I feel compelled to simply hit play and let
the magic happen as opposed to skipping throughout. Shields is Grizzly Bear’s
most involved album to date and it no doubt benefits from the absolute
inclusion of all of its members and their strengths; a testament to the foursome’s ability to
create a rich, engaging journey as well as infectious, memorable tunes to
serves as the landmarks. Shields is straightforward and direct while also remaining gainfully elusive and rewardingly labyrinthine; a continuous treat and righteous display of true artistic growth.
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