As far as being a band in 2012 goes, Grizzly Bear has it pretty good. Critical darlings aren’t often financially successful as artists and vice-versa. Yet, the Brooklyn troupe has spent the past decade creeping up Top 10 lists while winning over throngs of fans from sorority sisters to (you knew this was coming) the one-fifteenth-of-one-percent stakeholder (and recent New York Times Style Magazine cover boy) of the Brooklyn Nets. Later this month, Grizzly Bear headlines Radio City Music Hall, but they’re still not a household name: The quartet maintains a relatively autonomous pairing with Warp Records, one of the more idiosyncratic and innovative labels in the biz. And on Tuesday, that imprint ships Grizzly Bear’s most profound, intimate record yet, Shields.
As cursory surveys go, some might balk at Grizzly Bear’s output since their founding in 2004. Ed Droste recorded the band’s first effort, Horn Of Plenty, almost entirely on his own (with some help from drummer, Christopher Bear) in the typical indie lo-fi manner. Its successor, Yellow House, was Grizzly Bear’s first “real” album, boasting the addition of songwriting cohort and singer Daniel Rossen as well as producer/multi-instrumental wunderkind Chris Taylor. It was recorded in a not-so-typical manner: at the founding member’s mother’s home.
Yellow House and its follow-up, 2010′s Veckatimest, are dense and complicated affairs. Horn Of Plenty‘s cramped and often sloppy feel gave way to a grandiose openness: a dark basement blooming into the nave of a cathedral. And, if the multiplicity of poignant tracks from full-lengths weren’t enough, Grizzly Bear has peppered their history with experimental and gratifying EPs — the equivalents of spun-out road trips to a beach party before an inevitable return home.
It’s the overall strength of Grizzly Bear’s efforts that makes deciding an A-team from its canon a knotty enterprise. On Shields, “A Simple Answer” is a stand-out, cranking out rolling rhythms like a Ford assembly line. Rossen anchors the vocals, singing “Some tired mantra, crawls ever onward.” It’s just a snapshot of the most formidable lyrics the group has ever written, perhaps a tongue-in-cheek swipe at Grizzly Bear’s forging ahead. The tune is carnival-esque, poppy, and introspective: a gem. And it didn’t even make the cut.
10. “Fix It” from Horn Of Plenty (2005)
Droste’s semi-solo debut as Grizzly Bear is rife with many of the pitfalls of experimental music, from unbalanced levels to overly ambitious atmospherics. But it sets a template for what was to come and “Fix It” — quite fittingly, as per its moniker — exemplifies all that was right with Droste’s aspirations. The song is epic, wandering, and trippy, yet hinges upon a fairly basic chord progression. That march is soaked in a reverb-heavy effect that sounds similar to many a forthcoming GB guitar or bass spine. “Fix It” opens with a lilting flute passage that sounds as though it were plucked straight from a Native American campfire in a Spaghetti Western. It plows ahead with an unexpected transition — the first of many for Grizzly Bear — Droste’s muffled vocals spinning into echo-laden, utterly buoyant closing.
9. “Sorry For The Delay” from Sorry For The Delay EP (2006)
It had been a couple of years since fans had heard from Grizzly Bear and, as something of an appetizer offering before Yellow House, the group issued an EP complete with an apologetic title. If the album’s release was meant partially in jest — it does contain a Yes cover — its title cut allays any such joyfulness. Grizzly Bear, its name an irony in some cases, can drift into oversensitivity. It’s not often, but songs can quietly drag on into soft lifelessness. Here, though, is early backbone. Cymbal and drum hits snap to the fore as Droste’s distorted vocals do their best flight-attendant-on-the-mic impression — delay squelched.
8. “Half Gate” from Shields (2012)
Shows with the L.A. Philharmonic in 2008 and, then, with the Brooklyn Philharmonic in 2009 must’ve struck the proverbial chord with Grizzly Bear. Nico Muhly tackled the string arrangements for Veckatimest and, this time around, Rossen and Taylor have taken the reins. The two haven’t missed a step, and “Half Gate” is emblematic of Grizzly Bear’s orchestral and operatic ambitions. This penultimate saga is grand, soaring, and fearless. And that’s just the instrumentals. The lyrics point to an overwhelming sense of inward reflection: existential questioning from a band growing older together, thinking about what comes next. “At the end of the line, it’s as if there’s no time at all,” Droste reflects. “Nothing left to win, every pleasure burned to the wind / I tend to be alone, quiet pictures drawn each day before it ends to remind me, once again, why I’m even here.”
7. “On A Neck, On A Spit” from Yellow House (2006)
Here’s one of the great opening harmonies of the past decade, yet one that is just a blip on the radar of this nearly six-minute epic. “On A Neck, On A Spit” is unmistakably a team effort, with banjo plucks and bass flourishes anchoring an almost Last Waltz-like intro. Then, booms and bashes surge up, smashing it all to smithereens. Rossen and a guitar remain and usher the song into a new partnership that combusts yet again.
6. “Two Weeks” from Veckatimest (2009)
“Two Weeks” is, without a doubt, Grizzly Bear’s best pop song. It’s catchy in ways most of the group’s material doesn’t try to be, a popping key movement cycling throughout. It’s fitting, then, that the first taste many fans got of the cut was during an appearance by the band on The Late Show With David Letterman in July of 2008. Rossen was seated at the organ dropping those indelible keystrokes as Droste harnessed his gorgeous vocals as unassumingly as possible. A white button-down with rolled-up sleeves — like a candidate on the campaign trail — Droste shifting back and forth to the microphone, unable to resist bopping his body along to the rhythms. Everyone at home watching felt the same way.
5. “Central And Remote” from Yellow House (2006)
This one is forlorn and downbeat right off the bat. Oh boy, it seems, this is going to be an exhausting ride (almost five minutes); did Grizzly Bear have their coffee this morning? It turns out they did, and “Central And Remote” accomplishes an almost trademark about-face, climbing into a giant and symphonic mass before coming back down to Earth. And then does it all over again. The outsize enterprise might also be one of the few times, on record, where you can really catch Grizzly Bear jamming out into the stratosphere. The band really broke out as meticulous studio warriors on this record — and “Central And Remote” ain’t “You Enjoy Myself” — but Grizzly Bear readily embraces tangents herein.
4. “Yet Again” from Shields (2012)
“Sleeping Ute” was the first studio track unleashed from Shields and, make no mistake, it’s a wonderful album opener. But, then: boom! The second cut released (it runs fourth on Shields) goes and outdoes “Ute,” a guitar down-stroke that ushers in a call to arms. “Yet again,” are the first words sung by Droste on the song. The phrase can’t help but bring a knowing smile to listeners’ faces: Yep, they did it again. And as with much of Shields, there’s a struggle. The song points to the inherent loneliness of man, a sort of anti-Donnian perspective. But, there’s a message of optimism: “Take it all in stride,” Droste proclaims. Then, the last minute of “Yet Again” devolves into a cacophonous blur, everyone in the band playing ferociously — Grizzly Bear with a mean bite, creating beauty from a mess.
3. “Ready, Able” from Veckatimest (2009)
The most immediate takeaway from “Ready, Able” is its crisp production. Audiophiles might insist it be listened to on obscure speakers from the 1960s, while other dorks would recommend $2,000 Sennheisers for full appreciation. But, really, this level of mixing — Gareth Jones massaged Veckatimest — would still sound great as radio-rip piped through United Airlines headphones. The tune has a bold transition, too, and if there’s some reservation at the beginning — “I’m gonna take a stab at this,” Droste reservedly sings in the opening lines — “Ready, Able” lives up to its name during its rousing second half. “They go, we go / I want you to know what I did, I did,” he confesses and then repeats. It’s a mysterious, intriguing, and guilt-ridden line. The more you listen to it, the more classic it becomes.
2. “While You Wait For The Others” from Veckatimest (2009)
It’s unfortunate that, three years later, “While You Wait For The Others” has been relegated to footnote status. Yes, Michael McDonald of Doobie Brothers fame did indeed sing lead on the B-side of the track in what amounted to a pseudo-cover, pseudo-prank that just happened to be pulled off pretty damn well. But unless you’re Jane Lynch’s character in The 40-Year Old Virgin, McDonald’s version doesn’t hold a candle to the original. “While You Wait for the Others” is a Daniel Rossen vehicle, and his most impressive at that. The song is at once simple and huge. The guitar strokes are a minimalist’s wet dream but are as gripping as they come. There are also starring roles for seemingly meaningless “oohs” and “aahs.” But they anchor the build of the chorus. “You can wait for some substance,” Rossen quips. And at its best moments, the song seems to figure itself out, instrumentals dropping out to highlight vocals, vocals bowing to instruments. On it, Rossen — also of Department of Eagles — does well to fashion Grizzly Bear into something of a supergroup, with two lead singers any band would be glad to employ full-time.
1. “Knife” from Yellow House (2006)
There really can’t be any other choice. That opening guitar effect. Those background hums that would later become a Grizzly Bear staple. And Droste’s entrance into the affair: “I want you to know, when I look in your eyes / with every blow, comes another lie.” Heavy. “Knife” has a sinking feeling — which is further exploited and doubled-down upon by its infamous, insane music video — but it’s of an order only Grizzly Bear can get away with. The group has long been associated with an Apollonian ethereality. Here, the group’s second-to-none harmonies are at their best. It’s that coordination of vocals and instrumentation that puts a song like this on another level. There’s a paradox at work: What might otherwise be glum is lifted up by sheer elegance. How can you not love something so beautiful?
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You did it, Stereogum! You included the band’s actual best song on your “Best Songs” list!
colorado
colorado
colorado
colorado
colorado
colorado
That’s my #1.
colorado is awesome
probably would have made “Two Weeks” number 2 or 3.
Kinda sad that Cheerleader didn’t make it, but that’s probably just personal taste.
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Just end it.
I’m bored of all these top ten lists
THEN DON’T READ EM
Message received, you can turn off your caps lock now
NEVER
I was trying to think of some kind of well-founded criticism/alternate order for this list but eh, it’s not worth it. After all, it’s Grizzly Bear…it’s ALL good!
Uh, Shift?
but the alternative version
Wow, I kind of agree with all of these. Except “Southern Point” would probably be somewhere. And “Foreground.”
Fuck it. This list sucks.
Can we just take a minute here and realize that “While You wait for the others” will absolutely be the #1 song on this list 50 years into the future, when the robot overloads come across it under all the rubble at the bottom of the Ocean? That song was a classic the moment it was written. It is an absolutely flawless contribution to the entirety of music history. Period.
Maybe it’s just me, but every time I put on Yellow House, my personal favorite album by the band, I always feel like “The Knife” simply does not fit into the rest of the album.
Plus “The Knife” really feels like the beginning of GB’s pop gestation period or whatever…they got a much better handle on that aspect of their craft on Veckatimest.
TL;DR, I know.
Yeah, to be perfectly honest, “Knife” might not even be in my top ten from Yellow House, and there’s only 11 songs. It just seems out of place on what is otherwise a perfectly strung together, sonic masterpiece. It’s a great song, it just seems like it belongs on another album, I guess.
wtf no skinny love? JUST KIDDING, I know that’s actually by fleet foxes. lol right.
Weird. “Central and Remote” has always been my least favorite off of Yellow House.
“Little Brother” seems more deserving, not more than “Colorado” though.
The revamped version of “Alligator” on the Friends EP is quite amazing. Did great demonstrating the progress The Grizz had made in their sound, sort of a teaser to what we would eventually get on Veckatimest.
And “Two Weeks” #1.
But you got “On A Neck, On A Spit” correct!
I gotta say, the Yellow House version of “Little Brother” is good, but it’s nothing compared to the Friend EP version. That coda (“from the top of my head…”) is mind-blowing. I wish they would re-record a lot of their earlier output like that. No that Yellow House and Horn of Plenty aren’t good, but I remember seeing them at the MA MoFA a few years back and they did an electric version of “On a Neck” that was incredible.
Also, “Central and Remote” is just huge. Gigantic.
picking songs that are popular AND great. you’ve learned well from your AC list.
Best band. Hard to tell where the new stuff ranks in the scheme of things this early, but my only addition would be the electric version of Little Brother from the Friend EP. That’s my jam.
“Easy” definitely gets my vote as best G-Bear song.
it’s “easier”…
This typo was even worse when you consider I actually meant to write “Alligator (Choir Version)”
you’re a hipster huh? alligator is a garbage track.. go hump your animal collective vinyls
Eh, best Real Estate song, for sure.
If anything from Shields deserves to be on this list, it’s got to be Sun In Your Eyes. What an incredible closer.
Hmmmmm….
My list out of order would be this—-i like knife and all but…..the best?
Colorado
Shift (EP version)
Easier
Ready Able
While You wait for the Others
Don’t Ask
Sun in your Eyes
Sleeping Ute
Yet Again
Two Weeks
Colorado and Sleeping Ute would be definitely in my top 10 too. And Foregound probably also.
Knife and Stillness is the Move are two songs whose popularity I’ve never understood. I like them but I wouldn’t even consider them on my top 5 songs for each respective album.
My Top 10 Grizzly Bear tracks are:
1. On a Neck on a Spit
2. I Live with You
3. Sun in your Eyes
4. Ready Able
5. Lullabye
6. Yet Again
7. All We Ask
8. What’s Wrong
9. A Simple Answer
10. Little Brother (Electric)
Ah! Another “I Live with You.” This. Your list. It’s good, and you should feel good.
I’m seeing them next Friday at 930 in DC. They’ve been at the top of the list of bands I haven’t seen for years now (number 2 behind the ol Radiohead), I can’t wait.
1. Little Brother (Electric)
2. Deep Sea Diver
3. While You Wait for the Others
4. Lullabye
5. Shift (Alternate Version)
6. Knife
7. Ready, Able
8. Don’t Ask
9. Deep Blue Sea/(untitled)
10. Central and Remote
I’m probably the only Grizzly Bear fan who doesn’t like “Knife.” It’s actually one of my least favorite GB songs. I’d replace that in the number one spot with Little Brother- such a haunting tune, especially when the banjo comes in on the second verse.
For the record, I’d add “Easier” to this list. Otherwise, it’s totally solid.
I love the list. But. But. But…. Marla.
It goes something like this: “<3 <3 <3" then there's these amazing strings and then more "<3 <3 <3."
It's pretty good is all I'm sayin'.
I was secretly wishing I’d see Maria on there as well; knew it was a longshot.
Great list. I might put “Yet Again” at number one, though. It’s an incredibly rich, lush, emotionally resonant piece. Just one man’s opinion, though.
I would include “Dory” something about the way that song builds up is amazing. I love how the song begins with Rossen singing and Droste flows in. To me it’s one of the songs that defines what GB does best. Which is give you that feeling of uncomprehendable thought and emotion which takes you on a journey every time you hear their music.
i love that song too but people really hate on it for some reason.
“On A Neck, On A Spit” is epic and deserves to be in everyone’s top 5
agreed even tho I didn’t include it. Too hard to pick
Marla
nailed absolutely with, “While You Wait for the Others”, would have liked to see “Southern Point” and/or “I Live With You” purely for the lush epicness they contain.
Finally, a mention of “I Live with You.” It contains so much of what Grizzly Bear do so well.
Fix It would have been my #1 by a long shot. Horn Of Plenty is their best record. I was wondering why no one else mentioned any songs off of it. But i imagine most of you guys haven’t heard it. My list would go something more like this.
1) Fix it
2) Colorado
3) Shift
4) Alligator Friend Ep Version
5) A Good Place
6) Cheerleader
7) About Face
9) While You Wait For The Others
10) Merge
Thank you for including “A Good Place”. Definitely one of my favorites.
cale might have insulted many of you by implying you haven’t heard horn of plenty, but that’s child’s play compared to the big fuck you he gave to the number 8 here. dude must be pissed at that number.
Number 8 was actually Deep Sea Diver, as in “my head is shoved so far up my own ass we need a Deep Sea Diver to get it out”
How is Easier not on this list?! It’s the best opener of any of their albums.
This is much better than the AnCo list. Although Colorado would be a great addition.
All We Ask!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY4186cW10o
I’m gonna take a stab at this (in no particular order, because this is already brutal):
Deep Sea Diver – the first few chords from the first Grizzly Bear album I heard let me know I was in good hands
Showcase – love how kaleidoscopic this gets; they worked up a great live version years later :)
Disappearing Act – this song always felt like a night hike to me and I think Chris Bear has songwriting credit on it, if I remember correctly
On A Neck, On A Spit – this was when I really started to appreciate how much Dan was contributing to the band
Colorado – epic panorama
Ready, Able – the ending is so haunting (also insanely cool video)
Plans – so great and off-kilter; the whistling pleasantly reminds me of Back in Judy’s Jungle
Yet Again – this one just moves so nicely; I love Sleeping Ute, but all the guys are shining so brightly here and you can really appreciate just how great they’ve become
Sun In Your Eyes – when Grizzly Bear aim for rapture, nobody’s getting left behind
Owner of A Lonely Heart – I met this dude and he told me to check out his music on the internet. I knew I liked his style when I heard this hazy Yes cover.
A personal favorite of mine is “Don’t Ask.” The Final Fantasy/Owen Pallett remix of that track is exceptional, as well. Speaking of remixes, even though it’s irrelevant to this list, I’ve always kind of liked the Girl Talk mash-up of “Knife,” Clipse’s “Wamp Wamp,” and “Shout” by Tears for Fears. I think it’s one of the only non-album/ADD remixes he’s done.
Side note: while I love the song, I can’t help but sing “Hard Knock Life” every time “Two Weeks” comes on—maybe it’s just me.
Deep Sea Diver is my favourite.
I Live With You
Shift [Alt. Version]
Lullabye
Sleeping Ute
On A Neck, On A Spit
Colorado
While You Wait For The Others
All We Ask
gun-shy
Showcase
all I know is that Shields >>> Veckatimest
Not sure where to place Yellow House or Horn of Plenty but I can say that much for sure.
Regarding Ready, Able, I don’t think I’ve ever been as upset as when Grizzly Bear got bumped on Letterman by the Chevy Volt. IIRC it was the day before Veckatimest dropped which could’ve boosted sales considering what we now know was a beautiful performance.
yeah, but that performance (wasn’t it the one with the string section?) was damn incredible.
Rossen’s the only one whose pants look good on him.
Marla is a song from another time and place, It deserves to be on this list. Also Campfire was another euphoric song that just takes me too another place.
This list was already made. Yellow House has 10 tracks
Hah! Awesome.
Blue Valentine Closing Credits from Josh Noble on Vimeo.
Southern Point. When I bought Veckatimest, which was really my introduction to Grizzly Bear, and took it home, the first track blew my mind. And the rest of Veckatimest blew the rest of my body. Yeah, that’s right.
Maybe you guys don’t take the New Moon soundtrack seriously, but I really like the song they did with Victoria Legrand, “Slow Life,” and would have included it on this list.
How is “Blackcurrant Jam” not on this list?
Basically just put the tracklist from Veckatimest and we’re done here
So hard to make a top 10 for this.
10. Service Bell anyone? (particularly the version featuring Feist, but Ed’s version is great too)
9. Shift (Alternate Version)
8. Lullaby
7. Southern Point
6. Ready, Able
5. I Live With You
4. Yet Again
3. While You Wait For The Others
2. Two Weeks
1. Fine For Now (I can’t believe it isn’t being mentioned!)
Seriously. Fine For Now gets me like no other of their songs do. When the song explodes at the end is just pure bliss each and every time.
I was really hoping Fix It would be on here. Easily one of their best songs. Like, probably in the top 10.
The Dead Prez/Two Weeks mash-up is just incredible.
This list needs more Foreground.
I know its only sort of a Grizzly Bear song but…
Slow Life = Good Life
Really happy to see Yellow House well represented in the top 10, since I still consider it their best.
But two things I’d change: ‘Fix It’ would be replaced by ‘Showcase’ from Horn of Plenty. The song is great on the album but they transformed it into the most incredible song to hear live. It is a travesty that no decent live recording exists (or is easily found online) of this song.
And Sorry for the Delay would be removed and Little Brother (Electric) from the Friend EP would be added to the list, probably at the #2 spot behind Knife. The first time I heard them play the Electric version live, Grizzly Bear moved from ‘this band that has a really good album’ to ‘Holy shit I will be following what these guys do until the end of time’. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed an alternate version to a song I already enjoyed as much as that one. Hell, put it at #1.
Aligator (Choir Version)
Deep Sea Diver
Lullabye
La Duchess Anne or Service Bell
I can’t really comment on anything from Yellow House or Horn of Plenty because I have yet to fully delve into this albums. But I’m glad to see material from Shields made it on here, especially Yet Again, the best on the album (which is tough b/c that whole damn thing’s spectacular).
While You Wait for the Others is their best song tho, so I’d put that at number one definitely.
I think these songs should also be on the list (ya, I know, there can only be 10… but still :) )
Fine for now
Cheerleader
Foreground
Shift
Colorado
Plans
Little Brother (electric) is far and away my favorite, I initially heard them do it that way on Daytrotter, and that version should have made this list.
So why doesn’t Stereogum let the listeners vote on the top 10 songs? I think it would be more satisfying…
I would have to agree with these top 10 songs for Grizzly Bear, but I wouldn’t say the same for Elliott Smith, Animal Collective, Wilco, Blur…etc.
I realize some people are not going to like what I’m about to say, but “Yet Again” just doesn’t do it for me. Not because it’s not a good song or because it sounds bad. It’s just that the first minute sounds SO MUCH like Coldplay it’s a complete turnoff. Well, to me, at least.
Go ahead, just listen to it with your eyes closed. The chords, the way it’s sung: it’s really a Coldplay song.
I really enjoy those “top songs” features on Stereogum, by the way. Keep ‘em coming!
Glad Sorry For The Delay is getting some love. Incredibly beautiful track.