Live Review: REVIEW: Grizzly Bear 'Shields'

After the near-universal acclaim that surrounded Veckatimest three years ago and the harmonious score for Derek Cianfrance’s heart shattering Blue Valentine, GRIZZLY BEAR return with Shields, a charmer of an album that continue to reveal and unravel beyond the first listen.

It is easy to state that Grizzly Bear’s Shields is an album full of ideas. Aesthetically, we have psychedelic flourishes, folk crooning and a jazz sensibility peppered amongst the gorgeous harmonies that pulsates along the hooky and dynamic tracks. While at times there can be a sense that this album veers in many different directions, it is forever fluid; a collection of songs that complement each other beautifully.

With highlights in the likes of ‘Gun Shy,’ ‘A Simple Answer,’ and ‘Yet Again’ Grizzly Bear showcase their vibrant point of view. In ‘Gun Shy’ we get a slow groove, grounded in an airy and restrained guitar performance. Conversely, ‘A Simple Answer’ embraces a layering of sounds that builds and drops as if mimicking a voyage. And then in ‘Yet Again’ we have a strong guitar intro and hooky harmonies that beg to be sung along to.

This is an album that does not take you on a journey so to speak, but fills a space. Grizzly Bear’s layering of sounds swirl and stretch around a listener, chiming and tickling for its duration.

In Shields Grizzly Bear have relished in their creativity, and unity as a band and put forth and undeniably cohesive album of layered and bold tracks that can sit pretty in any indie music lovers collection.

TRACKLIST

1. Sleeping Ute

2. Speak In Rounds

3. Adelma

4. Yet Again

5. The Hunt

6. A Simple Answer

7. What's Wrong

8. Gun-Shy

9. Half Gate

10. Sun In Your Eyes

Shields is available now via Warp Records, grab it now on iTUNES

Words by Luke Letourneau

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