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Veckatimest | 
| Artist: Grizzly Bear
Label: Warp Records
Category: Music
List Price: $14.99
Buy New: $13.85
as of 9/3/2010 03:11 CDT details
You Save: $1.14 (8%)
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  reviews
Sales Rank: 1864
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.3
UPC: 801061018221
EAN: 0801061018221
ASIN: B001U7FWM8
Release Date: May 26, 2009
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Southern Point | | • | Two Weeks | | • | All We Ask | | • | Fine For Now | | • | Cheerleader | | • | Dory | | • | Ready, Able | | • | About Face | | • | Hold Still | | • | While You Wait For The Others | | • | I Live With You | | • | Foreground |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Grizzly Bear’s third album is a modern masterpiece of chamber-pop music, comprised of lush, smooth songs that beautifully evoke the New England seaside where it was recorded. On the sublime “Cheerleader,” drums patter and guitars gently reverberate as frontman Ed Droste muses, “Maybe this time we’ll grow.” That much is true--as spectacular as was the group’s previous effort, Yellow House, the songs of Veckatimest flow together much more exquisitely, a gulf stream of intricate arrangements and lyrical harmonies. While the terrific singles have justifiably received much attention--“Two Weeks” begins with a plinking piano intro before dropping into the sweetly swooning melody; the guitar and vocals of “While You Wait for the Others” start and stutter before launching into the dazzling chorus--it’s the slow-burning songs like “All We Ask” and “Ready, Able,” shimmering with madrigal-esque vocal rounds, that lend the record a certain eminence. The album ends on such an august note; “Foreground" is one of the best closing tracks in recent memory. As the piano quietly cantillates, Droste sings, “Something about this might / Take all evening.” It’s a song of twilight, a farewell bid to the burst of summer and light that is Veckatimest. --Erin K. Thompson
Product Description
Grizzly Bear released Yellow House in 2006. It was a slow, steady and stunning ride, and given the album s otherworldly charm and staying power, it s hard to believe three years have gone by.
That might seem like a long time. But given Grizzly Bear s hectic touring schedule, including stints with Radiohead, TV On The Radio and Feist as well as several performances during a five-night tribute to Paul Simon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a co-headlining show with the L.A. Philharmonic, and the release of Friend, a 10-song EP of re-recorded and re-worked songs, collaborations and covers all this seems reasonable. They ve been busy.
But about a year ago, singer/songwriter Ed Droste, drummer Christopher Bear, woodwinds player/bassist Chris Taylor and singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen who s other band, Department of Eagles, released the sublime In Ear Park last fall began passing demos around, and working together creatively in different pairs and permutations. A few months later they set off with producer/engineer Chris Taylor s mobile recording rig to begin the recording process for Veckatimest, which would unfold over the next six months in three very singular locations. And in many ways, it is the recording process that reveals this record each space catalyzing different interactions, inspirations, and ultimately, songs.
In July, the band spent three weeks at the Glen Tonche house in upstate New York. Though still finding their feet, much of the album s groundwork was laid there. After breaking briefly for the Radiohead tour in August, the band convened at a house on Cape Cod, graciously provided by Droste s grandmother, where they re-addressed and solidified the compositions they d started at Glen Tonche. Lastly, Grizzly Bear came home, to a church in NYC, to fine-tune and complete the album named Veckatimest after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name. Artist William O'Brien created Veckatimest s colorful, hand drawn artwork a perfect compliment to the album s enigmatic title.
There is an unbelievable clarity of sound and vision to Veckatimest: vocals (a duty shared by all band members) are sharper and more complex, arrangements are tighter, production is more venturous and lyrics more affecting. Having opened the creative dialogue at such an early stage, Grizzly Bear was able to realize these 12 songs together as a band, making it their most collaboratively compositional album to date.
This yielded an unexpected mix of material that feels more confident, mature, focused and most of all, dynamic. From songs like 'Dory' (a gracefully psychedelic, ever-evolving work),'Ready Able' (a synth-y opus, and one of four songs that boasts string arrangements by composer Nico Muhly) and 'Foreground' (a plaintive, vocal-driven send-off, and one of two songs to feature choral arrangements also by Muhly) to more resounding pop songs like 'Two Weeks' (an other-worldly doo wop featuring backing vocals from Beach House s Victoria LeGrand) and 'While You Wait For the Others' (a triumphant and melodically cacophonous pop masterpiece), Veckatimest is an album of the highest highs and lowest lows an unbelievably diverse collection of songs that celebrates the strength of each band member, and the power of the whole. It was well worth the wait.
Album Description
2009 release. There is an unbelievable clarity of sound and vision to Veckatimest: vocals (a duty shared by all band members) are sharper and more complex, arrangements are tighter, production is more venturous and lyrics more affecting. Having opened the creative dialogue at such an early stage, Grizzly Bear was able to realize these 12 songs together as a band, making it their most collaboratively compositional album to date.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great album August 7, 2010
Cody
Got this as a gift for my friend's birthday, he LOVED it. Arrived on time too. Fantastic purchase
Excellent and relaxing July 25, 2010
Luca
I enjoy such a large variety of music that I was shocked when my partner found this cd to be strange, and my son found it depressing. I think it is really great and the music is a good fusion of alternative rock and great harmonies, that I had to get it. I was a little late hearing about this band, because I sometimes get stuck in some of the older stuff, but I must admit this one is a keeper. The guys did well on this one.
Deep in the dark woods of New York, hides a Grizzly Bear July 25, 2010
Smoking Ace (Nashville,TN USA)
4.5
First off, if you're buying any of Grizzly Bear's music for the amazing Baroque that is "Two Weeks" Don't! Listen to the samples here at Amazon, I-Tunes, or Youtube first. Because while all of the songs on Veckatimest are of high Quality, they are of a different style. Mellow, folky, and Woodsy (You know like a Grizzly Bear) all a great contrast to the upbeat single that everyone has come to love. But saying that I thought Veckatimest was a fantastic grower album.
At first I'll admit I was a tad underwhelmed by Veckatimest with only three tracks Standing out: Two Weeks, Ready Able, and While you wait for others. But like a similar experience I had with Bon Iver's "For Emma,Forever Ago"(Which you should get) I found all of the songs here to have a long lasting staying power. They are haunting, melodic, and emotionally potent. All of the vocals have an otherworldly air about them. Daniel Rossen's voice Folky and fits these songs perfectly, while Edward Droste sings with such passion and earnesty that I really wish he was present more often here.
Although there are some tracks here that still don't excite me that much(Dory) The Strong tracks more then make up for it, I just took a 4 hour trip on the Natchez trace in Mississippi and I listened to this the whole way. For it matched the Rustic Landscape perfectly. So If you're into bands like Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver, you should definitly add Grizzly Bear to your Collection.
Top Track: Ready Able.
 beautifully chill March 26, 2010
H. Alexander (SF, CA)
from myBlog [...]
...When I first played this album, only two tracks grabbed me. Those two tracks still remain the standouts on this album, but I grew to love the laid back vibe and beautiful harmonies and melodies this group has put together on their third album which was released last summer. The albums first single (and now featured in a Volkswagen commercial) "Two Weeks" is a light, upbeat and a great showcase for all 4 band members talents. "Ready, Able" is a slower, moodier song that blends perfectly with the vibe of the album -- which is very moody, but also very relaxing and also very Earthy (I suppose this is what you might call Contemporary Folk music). Those two benefit from very strong hooks and melodies, but the entire album with their very textured harmonies is a great listen, a great example of a band that blend together perfectly.
Sincerely Special. March 4, 2010
kirfy (New York)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I can recall the first place I heard Grizzly Bear was in my local CVS. Just browsing, I heard their song "two weeks" and was jerked out of my headspace, said to my husband, "That song is amazing". Thought, too bad I can't find out who they are. Like a week later, heard the song in a car commercial, and was so excited that I had a way to identify it. Since identifying the band, I have repetitively listened to their free streaming songs. I have read some negative reviews that claim the music and anyone who gets it are music snobs. Maybe some are; maybe some are just music educated. I readily admit that I have a bachelor's degree in music, but as I have said I'm not a snob. You can take my word on this, because most classical musicians sneer at the very idea that rock music might hold a candle to classical. I think they are just apples and oranges. The thought behind classical pretension is that popular music isn't as complex and therefore not as good. I think that bands like Grizzly Bear are so appreciated, because it is that rare beast (pun intended). It is a band that deserves it's raves because it's songs show a real talent for song construction; a true understanding of melody, harmony, rythym, dynamics, phrasing, lyrics etc. I am truly transported, because their craftsmanship takes me to an elevated place. I can't even believe pretension even enters the discussion when we are constantly bombarded by an industry that almost has nothing to do with musicianship anymore. I'd really hate to see such a talented group of actual musicians' rating go down because of the same kind of elitism and reactionary hatred of elitism that exists in the classical music world. I, for one, believe that good music is good music, and Grizzly Bear, most definitely...is.
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