Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Southern Point could easily be the best song on the album right from the hop. I have heard Two Weeks several hundred times in my life, always fun to discover song names/artists after knowing the song forever. Another good alternative/folk/indie album. Unfortunately it became a bit ho-hum after the great start. Good album to follow yesterdays Follow the Dream. 3.5 stars with Southern Point, 3 stars without it.
That was an album. Nothing spectacular nothing bad
Been awhile since I've listened to this. Not my favorite of the Grizzly Bear albums but still great. Super sad it reminds me their on a hiatus cuz I loved their last album. Classic indie rock. Southern Point rules. James secretly has been secretly listening to Two Weeks every day for the past 14 years "Never heard it ok" My favorite kinda sound from them is Ready, Able. Hauntingly beautiful.
Album didn’t really click for me. Only track that stuck out was Dory.
I used to really like this album and gave it quite a few listens back in the day. I can't really figure out why now. Maybe I liked a girl who liked it. Maybe I thought it was deep and arty. Now I find it kind of pretentious and grating, and I feel kind of guilty for liking it. Also see Vampire Weekend.
Good stuff
Solid
I have no strong opinions either way
Not for me. Favorite Tracks: n/a 3/5
It was OK. Id go back, see if i like it more. A bit dull at times but nice overall.
Did not finish the album. Sounds like the Community soundtrack - this is not a compliment. Sucks.
We own this one on vinyl and it’s always been a pleasant listen, but this is the first time I’ve given it my full concentration. And man, this album is just so beautiful and unique. It’s folky and ethereal and leaves me feeling like I’ve been outside under the stars thought I know not why 🗿 4.5/5
I’ve listened to that one song a million times but the rest didn’t really sound like anything to me 2/5
Relaxing, ethereal music. Nothing really stood out as exceptional but maybe I need another listen
3.7 - Besides the gorgeous and glittery "Two Weeks", I'd shelved the rest of this album feeling at odds with Pitchfork's 9.0 review. Listening again, I appreciate the subtle arrangements and some bursts of oceanic color evoked by splashy percussions and jangly guitar strumming. And I like the unusual guitar-picking riffs. But, overall there's a lot of gray and beige on here and it quickly slunks to the background.
Didn't know what to expect but this was a beautiful album.
2.5
Some solid drums going on. But maybe a bit too long and forgettable in the end.
What a wonderful surprise this was Never listened to them before but this was absolutely bewitching and impossible to second guess
It was a pretty perfect three. It was almost something I quite liked, but it never quite did enough for me. I liked his voice. Not much else of note. My favourite song was About Face.
Genres: Psychedelic folk, indie folk, chamber pop, indie rock, psychedelic pop, baroque pop Formed: Brooklyn, New York in 2002 Run time: songs, min, sec The tracks all have at least 2M plays on Spotify, so they are popular. “Two Weeks” has over 230M plays. I listened to the first few tracks then gave up. They produce some great harmonies, but the lyrics have no depth. It’s just pleasant noise to me. My Rating: **
Mash up of the Beatles, Indie rock & some Beach Boys. Not my jam but pretty cool.
Album 31 of 1001 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest Favorite Track : Rating : 2 / 5 More Indie Rock. I hate to be critical, two days in a row, about music which someone obviously put a lot of time and care into creating. That doesn't mean that I won't be, though. This list of 1001 albums was first created in 2010. I think they were looking hard for something new and unknown to put on the list and this somehow made the cut. This wasn't as bad as a couple I've heard. Just don't think it rates being on this list after listening to some of the awesome music I've heard over the past few weeks.
Good!
okay???
Yep, very nice. My kind of music! Explorative, melodic, has kind of like a ghostly/ethereal quality to it, that might just be the choral feel of the singing, or the long, slow rhythms and sounds centred across the album. Not many songs that caught me enough to add them to my regular playlists, but this is an album I support!
Before listeneing, I would have been very surprised if the rest of the album was boring enough to bring Two Weeks down to a four star album. After listening, I'm not even sure Two Weeks is the best song on the album. This album, much like Ultra Violet by the National and every album by radiohead, make me wish I had rated every other album lower because now I want six stars for them.
Good
First album I didn't finish, it absolutely reeked of nepotism and boy was i not shocked after a bit of googling How do you make music this depressing when your grandad is an oscar winner
This was an enjoying listen, if mostly sonically. Like a mix of Fleet Foxes and Dirty projectors but much more downtempo than either of those. I love all the slow, atmospheric buildups and vocal harmonies kind of layered in the mix. Will probably return to.
Two Weeks. Psychedelic folk, indie folk, chamber pop, indie.
It was alright. Had a pretty good start, but the middle was pretty bland. Overall not terrible. Was thinking a low 4 initially, but it is probably closer to a high 3
this is cool and good. i like it. also logic sampled one of these songs which really caught me off guard.
Not at all what I expected. Nice overall album with a great indie vibe. If you enjoy the genre you'll have a blast.
Interesting
Ugh. Indie music. It went on for way too long. No need revisit and shouldn't have visited in the first place
Best Song: Two Weeks. Pleasant contrast between the main vocalist's voice and the higher, more lilting, backing choral voices. Worst Song: Hold Still. I actually really liked the vocals, but that guitar lick that interrupted was really jarring. Overall: Quietly interesting. Nice for rainy mornings and evenings reading.
Hmm. Finding many of the tracks oddly dissatisfying, especially the opener. The vocal is sung to a different melody than the music, creating a discordance that in some circumstances could work to create something magical, but it just falls flat here to my ears. Two Weeks is a relief in amongst this, a song I recognise (I'm guessing from an advert), although it's a fairly straightforward Pet Sounds derivative. There's one or two others in this order as well. Not for me.
It’s a great work of psych indie. Loved the harmonies and textures. The voice is pretty cool, too. Two weeks and Cheerleader stood out for me. Adding them to the Alvvays and Animal Collective playlist.
An interesting one. Great instrumentation, very atmospheric soundscapes. Singer is hit-or-miss and so are the melodies. Some songs sound divine and others sound loud and badly produced. Overall I think the good slightly outweighs the bad here as the highs are quite high. Best song: Two Weeks
Another favourite from my younger days! Big fan of Grizzly Bear and their various side projects. This was the record that got me into them and in hindsight, this is probably the record that got me into this whole sound - something that I’m still big into now despite not listening to Veckatimest in a while. Once messaged them after they got heckled at the Sage in Gateshead, and they were polite enough to reply to my embarrassing fanboy message.
Vaguely pleasant but nothing really grabbed me, another pitchfork-y band that are okay but I can't understand the appeal. Runtime a bit too long as well. Okay for one listen.
A tricky one for me as I definitely enjoyed it, but can't really remember much about it. Good as background music, I like the sound of the music more than the guy's voice. One of those where, on balance, I'd rather have it on, than silence. I'd give 3.5 stars if possible, but I think, based on the strength of Two Weeks, I'll knock it up to 4, rather than down.
I did not find much to like about this album, it had too much of a folky indie sound which I hate. Then the album just felt like it went on forever. Highlight: Two Weeks
The description of this sounded like I was going to really like it... Didn't mind the sound of this but none of it really grabbed me and it was very samey. Shouldn't think I'll be going back.
It’s fine I guess nothing popped out at me with sort of boring
Two Weeks just pushes this whole thing to 4 stars at least on its own. Top 10 songs of the 2000s.
Very nice sound. I've heard this album a few times and am just now getting into it. I think it could be something I'd definitely listen to more in the future. Standouts: Two Weeks, Southern Point, All We ask Rating: 3.5/5
Good album but certainly know why I never listened to it again after it’s debut. It’s long and forgettable
Admittedly a big fan of this, I've always felt that the record drags om juuuuust a bit too much. 'Two Weeks' though. What a track.
I love the adventurous, complex and experimental sound of Grizzly Bear. Rossen and Droste’s vocals blend perfectly and their songwriting never fails to leave you emotionally overloaded. Veckatimest drags on just a bit too long (maybe just a song length) and I lose some interest halfway through the record; only to be regained at the end. But how can you not feel joy at the end, when a record features a track like “Two Weeks”? What a masterpiece!
Hints of Surfjan Stevens. Nice melodies,. Fine vocals, harmonies and interesting song structure. Fascinating album, listened a couple of times, could, long term, be a grower, but enjoyed today's recommendation a lot.
Didn't like it. Rock should be exciting - this is boring.
This is a really interesting album, with a great mix of sounds.
Generic alternative. Two weeks is obnoxious.
Hooggewaardeerd album van softrockband Grizzly Bear. Tracklist is erg homogeen, wat ook voor het "bekende" nummer Two Weeks geldt. Kwalitatief ok, maar erg vergeetbaar. leukste nummer: I Live With You Album is vernoemd naar Veckatinest Island, MA. Een van de bandleden komt uit de Forbes familie die het naastgelegen eiland bezit.
Good but not particularly inspiring
I really tried to like Veckatimest ... I carefully listened to every song, repeating one or two, giving each of them the attention I thought they deserved. But to be honest, it bored me.
Never heard of the Band nor the Album... enjoyed it a lot.
This is some boring stuff.
Gives me cool radiohead ambient vibes from kid A
I recognized the song two weeks but overall the album didn't have much variation and didn't hook me.
Sounds nice enough but it has no staying power outside the first 3-4 tracks. I've never been a fan of this indie folk thing and by the time this got released I was already tired of it. Not bad, not just something I'd ever recommend to someone, let alone put in a book about the 1001 most essentials albums of all-time.
I've seen worse generic stuff on this list. Yeah, this one is alright.
Very good album, I just dont think it's really one of the 1001 best albums of all time.
It's a nice album, great mood and sound. I can't understand the reason why it's on this list. Maybe it was a great success at the time, but I'm not sure this one will stand the test of time. It was a little bit generic and samey.
Not sure what these guys are, super nerdy, but also capable of moments that can move. Had the 1st track on my liked songs forever, but the rest of the album just washed over me
Samey samey.
Hauntingly beautiful vocals.
Couple interesting moments but overall did not find much of anything to enjoy.
Have to relisten, but from the little I heard I enjoy it very indie 90s coming of age movie music which I’m realizing I enjoy.
Loved this album. Very original and I could never see what was coming next, which I loved. Nothing special about the singing or instrumentation in my opinion, but the chords and structure were fascinating. I enjoyed this album very much and will be listening again, although probably not as a whole album as not every song was all that exciting, just a good few. 4/5
Like slowly being dragged to death.
Yeah, okay It was. Fine? Honestly, it was several hours ago. I remember liking it, then just not even noticing it. Towards the end (well, after the end) I thought, oh hey, I like this! Then realized the album had ended and Spotify just picked something it thought I'd like.
v good
This is a great album. I’ve already downloaded a few of the songs but I enjoyed the ones I hadn’t heard before.
I wasn't interested in this album when it was released, I wonder how it will replay now? Nah, I still don't get it.
Two Weeks is an absolute classic, and I know that Grizzly Bear are really well-regarded artists in the modern psychedelic folk field, so I was excited to listen to this one...I didn't love it though. It's very pleasant, has a nice and consistent sound to it and I'm sure very technically well-structured and all, but I just found a lot of these songs kinda...boring. Pretty, but I don't know if I'd come back to it.
1/5. Yeah sure, indie rock. Woo. Idk, instrumentation is cool but it’s not engaging. I gave it three listens too just in case. Like, I just don’t care what they’re singing about.
I was all set to really really like this album. The description really sounded like my kind of thing. The first song, "Southern Point," was good, but as for the whole thing, I got pretty bored with it. I even gave it some extra time to better connect with it, but I didn't get there and it's time to move on.
Not at all familiar with Grizzly Bear, but I found it an interesting listen. I was too focused on other things while I listened to even begin to have the foggiest idea what the tracks were about lyrically, but the melodies and rhythms were ear catching for me.
Not unpleasant but very bland for the most part. I doubt I would've finished it if I didn't "have to." I'm glad I stuck it out because the last two tracks were quite striking, elevating the overall experience.
I was surprised to discover that I had purchased this album not long after its release. I was also surprised that I didn’t recognize anything about this. I’m not sure if I ever loved this, but today I found it sort of nice, but I can see why I maybe listened to this once and then forgot about it. Just really didn’t click much with me. I don’t mind it but don’t really love it either.
This is different, and interesting because of that. I thought round 2 and 3 of listening to it would sell me and I'd have a new favorite in the rotation. That didn't quite happen, I think because despite everything that's happpening, there's not much that stays with me that I want to hear again. The exception is, \"While You Wait For the Others\"...super cool song. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding
I did not like that album. Absolutely nothing going on except self indulgent pontificating masquerading as music.
Veckatimest is a bit of a mixed bag - there are certainly parts of it where it collapses in on itself under the weight of its own self-importance, where it's not quite as clever as it thinks it is, but there are also some real highs. Two Weeks is great, but doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the album, and While You Wait For The Others is also good. It's really nicely put together, the vocal arrangements are good (feels like Fleet Foxes without quite as good vocals but with much better instrumentation), but it doesn't really grip me for the most part. 3/5.
Has something of a Jeff Buckley vibe without actually ever getting very good, instantly forgettable
God damn boring
This album is incredibly boring. It's far too floaty, nothing, indie-wank for me. Nothing stands out at all.
Très partagé sur cet album. Ils essaient tellement de faire branchés, accords dissonants rythmiques alambiquées que c'est parfois déroutant voir désagréable. A tel point que pitchfork a mis 9. Sans doute qu'avec le temps certaines chansons se révèlent, mais après 2 ou 3 écoutes, je suis toujours mitigé. "Two weeks" est sympa, "While you wait for the others" a de bons moments. J'y reviendrais peut être
Hipster indie rock that overstays it's welcome.
Dreamy indie rock from the late 2000s isn't really my thing, but I can appreciate it it for what it is. That's the beauty of this site, though - you listen to stuff that isn't your cup of tea.
I love this album. Saw them at Glasto 1997 in the new bands tent.
Great album, Opera Pop as Tim referred to it, it’s snazzy and catchy and atmospheric all at once.
I love Indie from this era (formative music for me) but have never been able to really love Grizzly Bear. Decent stuff but just doesn't grab me the way other similar artists do. 3.5/5
Nothing stood out as good, nothing stood out as bad.
What can I say, aughts-era indie rock and ESPECIALLY 2009 is my trap card. This album is a stone cold classic in my books. Two Weeks is a top track of all time.
Very dull.
For me anyway, this deteriorated from somewhat interesting to utterly tedious very quickly
Folk-rock bastante moñas... Un 2.
Two Weeks. Psychedelic folk, indie folk, chamber pop, indie.
Just kind of floated over me. In a good way.
2,5. It all kinda sounds the same.
love!
I like it, I own it, but it is just fine rather than glorious
3/5 I could not figure this one out. There were some interesting parts, some rhythms I liked but overall I couldn't get used to the style nor could I figure out what the genre was. It was a neutral: meh.
Not terrible but not great either. Maybe 3 is generous, but I don't think I was overly irritated with this one. The yawnfest continues...
I don’t think I knew this band wrote Two Weeks. This album does have that 2010s indie sound - fleet foxes, dirty projectors, arcade fire - but it does have some of its own personality. My favorite was While You Wait For The Others. A light 4.
Wasn’t enough there for this to stand out for me.
Muito bom!!
Chill and musical. Reminds me of the stuff that led me to Tally Hall. Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did.
genre defining
One of my favorite albums of all time.
It's an album I've heard a lot. I do like it, but I find it hard to get too excited about it, despite the hype it received at the time.
As catchy as a pop album. As adventurous as an indie rock album. And as intimate yet boring as a folk album. Pretty nice.
Largely forgettable save a few moments.
Enjoyable. I recognised quite a few songs from advertising, being a testament to how well composed they are.
Perfectly good listen, with nice vocals and harmonies. Not quite sure if a top 1001 however!
Very hit-or-miss
one of my favourite songs is on this album but ive never listened to the full album until now, looking forward to it its really good and has lots of great songs in it
A bit on the precious side, but with undoubted high points. There. That's a bland a generic enough statement, isn't it?
Ruskigt nära en etta men det finns ju något musikaliskt med jämna mellanrum.
kinda weird and out there at times but i generally enjoyed it.
if this is the kind of thing you like it’s probably a really good example of it, but it’s not really the kind of thing i like
Another totally new experience. Definitely going to be a grower. Provisional 4
It's like an alternate universe beach boys with more Internet rythyms, and less melody
This is sufficiently quirky and also mainstream. I've heard a few of these and had assumed they were part of the Animal Collective (that's Panda Bear, not Grizzly Bear), but what do I know? uhh everything (duh). Such as... DYK Grizzly Bears make great pets? And, they can also be trained to balance balls on their noses and drive carnival cars. This Gizzly Bear Veckatimest is very enjoyable and I've decided it'll be standard listening while teaching my own Grizzly that eating people is not okay.
“Two Weeks” is infectious, and “Ready, Able” is haunting and quietly intense. The rest of Grizzly Bear’s “Veckatimest” never quite reaches those heights, but it is consistently interesting and challenging.
Grizzly Bear is at times very reminiscent of Fleet Foxes (Ready, Able in particular). It's good dreary day music but it took a couple listens because it tends to fade into the background.
Ура, что-то интересное по звучанию и при этом не звучит как каша! Я падок к кантри музыке и к той музыке, которая способна меня зацепить в какой-то поток и заставить просто ехать вместе с ней. Поэтому твердая 5
Из альбома я знал только сингл Two Weeks, не знаю, каким образом я его послушал впервые, но когда добавлял себе его на Споти, чётко запомнил ощущение, что где-то его слышал. Только вот где... Мне очень нравится ритмическая структура песен. Размеры может и не самые уникальные, но как хорошо они обыгрываются. Иногда они ещё и меняются в рамках одного произведения, что добавляет интриги и "симфоничности" к звучанию. Ready, Able, например. Бас как будто в контрапункте с ударными играет. Слова тут играют явно не главную роль. Скорее, это больше как мантра; много завязано на повторениях и почти полных созвучиях, скорее, они придают композициям финальную эмоциональную окраску. Но это про слова. А вот вокал - это всё-таки неотъемлемая часть каждой композиции. Чарующий, расплывчатый, иногда записанный с многоголосием. А ещё аккордовые последовательности явно нестандартные, они как будто с потолка взяты. Теперь я понял, что имели в виду The Village в виду, когда писали статью про группу ил: по вайбу очень похоже... что-то на авангардном и импрессионистском. По той же "аккордовой" причине наверняка Two Weeks и стала такой популярной: вот там как раз всё очень стандартно, без вкраплений чего-то "будто не отсюда". Мне понравилось, хорошо подошло бы к поездкам; представляю себе сельскую местность, бескрайние поля, на которых овечки пасутся... ой, так это я в университет еду, получается. Или во, засыпать под этот альбом будет очень классно! Проблема есть только в одном: лирика. Хотя в целом, за это же я могу и свой любимый In Rainbows поругать. 5-/5, есть пару мелодических нюансов, которые показались мне странными. P.S. Взял за привычку лезть в Википедию читать про альбом до его прослушивания. Группа Beach House из примерно 4 альбомов назад в лице вокалистки Виктории Легран передаёт привет через бэк-вокал. Такие вот совпадения.
Пушка бомба в самом начале, под конец скучновато. Абсолютно понравилось, переслушивать буду, но таки не 5. 4++
I liked it. Not really for any specific reason. I’ve been having a lot of good luck with the 2000s albums on this list.
I like Grizzly Bear. I don't know why this album would be considered on this list of albums that must be heard, as there are other bands with better albums in this genre.
Veckatimest/Grizzly Bear defined the Brooklyn sound of the 2000-teens. Just an all star combo of musicians. Incredibly creative drumming by Chris Bear and insane guitar work from Daniel Rosen. This album has everything from the pop classics like Two Weeks to cinematic epics like Fine For Now.
slept on it, and i have to award 4 stars. it's a classic of the era, but i'd elevate the best of animal collective, bon iver, fleet foxes, dirty projectors, wolf parade etc over this. still, this album holds up incredibly well. delicate, lush, colorful, melancholy, layered songs without any duds front to back.
Some excellent and memorable songs, mixed with some complex, slower bleeds. This one gets better the more times I listen to it. Also threw on Jack Goes Boating to see how this holds up as a movie soundtrack and it’s great. A nostalgic one that is essential listening from the 2000-2010s indie era.
Closer to a 4.5/5 for me. This is a great album but it also gets extra points from me from a nostalgia perspective. Takes me back to my post-college NYC days.
I think it started off quite strong but petered out very quickly. Potentially it was too long as well. The other half is not memorable at all and I wasn’t even sure if anything was playing at times Saved tracks: Two Weeks, All We Ask, Fine For Now, While You Wait For The Others
Yeah, I can get into this, even though it is very formulaic late aughts indie which I don't normally go for. They remind me of a band I really like, Guster, who I wish were on the list because they're quite special. I didn't think I'd know any of this one, but Two Weeks I've definitely heard. That song got its moment in the sun, that's for sure. Overall it is inoffensive, innocuous, fine.
You have to respect that this band had two albums in the top 10 of the US, done on their own experimental terms. Then the dude takes a break and quits the band to become a therapist. I love weird stories like that. Too bad the album only moderately holds up over time. While this album fits perfectly in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it's lost a lot of its luster years on. Stand out tracks are "Two Weeks", "Ready, Able", and "About Face".
Lijepo je se vratiti sa ovim albumom. Nisam ga sto godina slušala i zaboravila sam koliko mi je dobar
Dobar album, daleko najbolja stvar je jebiga Two Weeks. Vraćao sam se na ovaj album, ali svaki put se iznenadim kako ga nikako preslušat do kraja, kao da mi se ne da uopće slušat album.
Better than expected but I still blame these cunts for Pomplamoose's existence.
Never heard of them, but they seem to have perfected that late 2000s indie hipster rock. Sounds nice without becoming cringey or annoying. For me though, nothing really stands out to make it amazing. Just solid hipster rock
Enjoyable to listen to at Trader Joe's. I recognized Two Weeks from a commercial. Upbeat and fun.
I will admit, outside of Two Weeks I have never really given Grizzly Bear a chance. I always wrote them off as being one of those bands that was full to the brim with talent, basically rising to success from copying the ‘60s pop sound and running with it. Bands like Whitney, Fleet Foxes, Local Natives, etc. were doomed to only get my background ear because of this surface level judgment of their sound. I have always believed these bands have massive talent but I kind of wrote them all off as lacking originality, being too derivative. With this listen of Veckatimest I can safely say that Grizzly Bear has proven my judgments to be completely wrong. There is something special here. Something unique. Sure, you can certainly hear the influence from pop music of yesteryear. My dad’s records. But there is something more to this record than music destined to live in my background. There are stories to be told. Beautiful, haunting production. Moments that stick. The message of Cheerleader, that end bit of Dory with the drums just crumbling to pieces, the little story told in Hold Still, the frenetic chorus of I Live With You, the entirety of Foreground. In general I loved the lyrical simplicity while still managing to hold weight in each word, the instrumentation, both Daniel and Ed’s vocal delivery, the way each song felt like it was this story that was so purposefully paced and thought out almost as if there are accompanying storyboards somewhere. This was a great listen that I will definitely return to again.
Great album the whole way through - loved 2 weeks
Great album, and a formative one for me in expanding my musical horizons in college. My experience with this album has always been a primarily sonic one. When listening, the sounds of this album fill my head, my room. Veckatemist has an ambience all to itself. Its soundscape is distinctly American, and utterly ethereal. It’s in-your-ear cavernous. It’s music to dream too. Haunted. It lives somewhere between the spectral works of Edgar Allen Poe and the 1960’s most anxious freak folk. And yet, it is undeniably of the 21st century. Its ghosts (anxieties) could only be of this age. Its themes are deeply personal, but its lyrics are vague and riddling enough to map your own fears too. Those topics—in my estimation—run the gamut from anxious attachments, imposter syndromes, the disintegration of relationship, coping with depression, modern malaise, and an overall frustration with an inability to live in the moment. Its victories over these immense difficulties are few and far between, and when they do arrive, such as in the late-album “I Live With You,” the advice is measured. “We’ll do what we can,” Rossen echoes as the song rises to a resounding outro. Listening to Grizzly Bear’s discography chronologically is like hearing a band come together in real time. Beginning as the solo, bedroom project of co-lead vocalist Ed Droste, Grizzly Bear’s subsequent albums each sound a little more like the work of a full “band.” But each also sounds further from the haunted, intimately homespun material that gave the “band” its unique identity to begin. Especially after the success of “Two Weeks” and Veckatimest. You can hear the band, on their excellent follow up, Shields, favoring a sound that would fare a bit better on the road, on Late Night TV, and at musical festivals. What’s truly unique about Veckatimest then, is it’s recorded just before the band really, truly becomes a band. Or, it’s at least the sound of them becoming a band. For one thing, it’s unique that Droste didn’t keep Grizzly Bear a solo project with a touring band the way, say, Tame Impala did. (Also worth mentioning here that Droste isn’t even in the band anymore as he is now retired from music and pursuing a career as a therapist.) Instead he invited 3 new individuals under the moniker of his own deeply intimate project, to contribute their own intimacies into something wholly unknown that together they might eventually hone. It’s a spirit of collaboration that seems impossibly difficult. And it’s evident too on their amazing Friend EP, released two years before Veckatemist, on which they not only reworked their own songs, but invited bands like Band of Horses, CSS, and Atlas Sound in to do the same. The results of their selfless collaboration up to Veckatemist are astounding. Droste’s own advancements in songwriting are buoyed by the those of Rossen; their vocal arrangements therein buoyed by harmonies from Bear and Taylor. Then there’s the excellent (excellent!) production of Taylor, plus the choral arrangements, the string arrangements, Bear’s minimalist-yet-explosive drum patterns, the cover art, and on and on. It’s an amazing sounding, feeling record. Coming in 2009, Veckatimest hits very near the end of the freak-folk-revivalist 2000s. I’ve heard of and have always preferred to refer to this era of indie rock as New Weird America (in contrast with Old Weird America of the 1960s, 50s, and before). But of all the albums and acts that make the genre, none feel more suited for the label than Grizzly Bear’s Veckatemist. In its geography, its band name, its spirit and democracy, its soundscapes, and its anxieties; it is Weird America through and through. Side note: I said this album is cinematic—and as if to evidence such: Grizzly Bear’s music soundtracked 2 full movies of its era. One of which is Blue Valentine, another formative favorite of mine and certainly one of my favorite uses of music in film.
An album that I would always look at and say, "oh yeah, I played that a million times in high school." Apparently I didn't have the full one on iTunes, because quite a few of these songs are brand new to me! I know so little about Grizzly Bear's story, but to hear this album up against their first is like seeing boys becoming men. The records on their first project are wandering, searching, somewhat nervous lofi when put up against this album, and I can't help but think that the songwriting is a huge part of that journey. I can't get enough of Daniel Rossen's songwriting... I think he's just a really unique writer, both in tone and in the way his melodies and chords work. The Rossen songs tend to be my favorites, especially when you can feel the band going off the deep end a little, but oh man! That last song "Foreground!" That's an instant favorite for me, and it hits me right in the heart. "Two Weeks" is an obvious giant hit, but it feels a little misplaced on this album, like it's an entirely different band from the one that does "Southern Point" or "Dory." A real mystery of a band! Some of the textures are some of the most beautiful things I've ever heard, other songs feel a little meandering or confused, sort of like their earlier works. It's a little uneven for an album, but I wouldn't want to live in a world where this album didn't exist. 4/5
I enjoyed it!
Mediocre at best. Two good songs and the rest sounded just like any other song
Sounds pretty and is way better than the ho hey, stomp clap sound that became huge a few years after this, but still boring. Wish the entire album sounded more like Two Weeks.
Mellow-ish post-pop for those that dig that sort of thing.
"Smithers, have Vampire Weekend killed." "But sir, this is Grizzly Bear." "You heard me!" What a snooze.
Solid indie rock album. Lots of enjoyable moments. Nothing too out of the ordinary.
Hard listening album. I guess I am intellectually below the level of indie rock music.
It was a good album, but more something I'd put on as background music while drinking coffee or working on homework than a main experience.
I enjoyed most of the album, only listened to it once though. Most of the songs were enjoyable some were a bit meh.
I think I would appreciate it more if i gave it a few more listens. I enjoyed the vocals and production on here. Not unique to what I've hear but still really nice. Reminded me at parts of James Blake and Radiohead.
This album started out strongly, then quickly became everything I hate about Indie music, and then ended strongly. So I guess overall I liked it. Favorite track: While You Wait For The Others
this is a good album, not perfect. on its way, but there is some lull, gaps, lost in translation moments. their harmonizing is rad and they do good slow downs and musical breaks. good anthemic moments, interesting chord changes and dark, yet light guitar. there is just something off, something missing. maybe yellow house is a better album, maybe? anyway, definitely worth listening to.
Never heard this before, but it was pretty good.
Like.
I’d never heard of Grizzly Bear until today. The album art and the strange text layout does have me a little intrigued. I’m not exactly sure what to expect from this, but am eager to find out. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Two Weeks, Foreground This album was very up and down for me. The good songs were very good, the bad songs were very forgettable. I did like the vocal style very much - sad, soft vocals do tend to be enjoyable to my ears. The music was best when it was kept minimal, and tended to counterproductively become less interesting as more instrumentation was added. Overall, I would say I enjoyed the album, and yet I’m doubting if I’ll ever be returning to listen again.
>.<
Meh. Too soggy.
Organic and hypnotic, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would
didnt care
2/12, 17%
Meh, Two weeks is a bop but the rest is pretty underwhelming 2
Grizzly Bear?!....more like sleepy, boring bear. Zzzzz
Meh
Good music. Just not quite what I'm into
Two weeks is a special song to me but I hadn’t really heard the rest of the album before. Fun fact, I actually saw them open for spoon and remember the front man saying “we just want everyone to know we have more songs than Two Weeks.” And it turns out they were right. This album was a real treat.
this was not an essential album to listen to before i die i have a feeling the programmer of this put this in here two weeks is a really catchy song. the rest, eh. they don't do well what other experimental groups like animal collective do well
Very pleasant listen with a couple of notable highs. 3.5/5
I find that the wave of Indie Folk that this was part of can either work really well or fall completely flat for me and not much in between. Fortunately the phsycadelic vocal harmonies and the grand moments on this album really work for me and make it stand far above not only the rest of Grizzly Bears discography but one of my favourite albums of that era. What I love about this album is how well it injects pop melodies into the Grizzly Bear sound while keeping interesting sonic textures and unpredictability. Do I think this album has/will age particularly well? Possibly not, but I still think it's a standout example of the sound of the time and one I'll keep coming back to.
Have listened to this album but not enough, it's a nice one but I don't find it that cohesive. 3 stars
This one was hard to figure out. The instrumental portions were interesting but each eventually devolved into an aimlessly orchestrated choral arrangement that was more annoying than pleasant. Definitely not one for me.
Uinteressant
At the start of this album I felt that each track was at least 2 minutes too long, but as the album continued I felt that they could all fuck off entirely.
that reminds me, i really must get a competitive quote for my home insurance
Well-crafted, nuanced album that can swing from sweeping orchestral to jaunty pop to hauntingly psychedelic. I started out very much not in the mood for this, but actually ended up enjoying it a lot. I'd like to come back and listen to it more, because this feels like an album that improves on repeated listening. Fave Songs: Cheerleader; Foreground; Two Weeks; About Face; Ready, Able; Dory
- Listened to this before - Has grown on me with more listens - Two Weeks is one of the best songs of the 21st century but the rest of the album's still good Fav songs: Two Weeks, I Live With You, All We Ask
very calm, kinda ethereal. Mood specific
Here's my extended thoughts on this album. Can't fit them all into text, might crash the site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKuhv9OKN4I
An album of its time, I think, like a number of others from around the same period; Fleet Foxes et cetera.
Nice Indie Rock. Reminds me of the Beatles in some aspects. Nice when having friends visiting
Nice enough but it is absolutely baffling that this made any list of anything of note.
Oh yeah I remember that song plus other songs which made me forget that song again
Fun story: In college I briefly toyed with the idea of becoming a journalism major. I decided to go and work at my college's newspaper when they announced they needed new team members, in order to test the waters. It was so exciting! The newsroom was not unlike what I had seen in the movies. Everyone was running around and trying to meet deadlines. I very quickly was given my first assignment: covering the Grizzly Bear concert that was coming to town on Friday night. What luck! I wasn't just going to be a journalist, but a MUSIC JOURNALIST. I was going to go to a FREE CONCERT and also GET TO MEET THE BAND. The road to my future seemed paved before me. I excitedly grabbed my new credentials, and checked out a camera in order to take pictures. Back in my dorm, I hurriedly sent out messages to friends and loved ones. Mom! I'm going to be a MUSIC JOURNALIST and I've already gotten my first assignment! Fast forward to Friday night and I rushed down to the theater. Maybe I could get some pictures of the band setting up; perhaps catch the final sound check. At the door I was told to go away. "No, you don't understand, I'm with THE PAPER" "Where's your ticket?" "There should be one reserved for me, since I'm with THE PRESS" "There isn't a ticket. Go away" ".... can I... buy a ticket? Maybe they'll reimburse me" "No, the show is sold out" "Can I... come in and interview the band? Look, here are my credentials" "No, they don't want to talk to the newspaper. Go away" The next day I went back to the newspaper and got chewed out for not covering the assignment I was given. So that's the story of how Grizzly Bear ended my nascent journalism career. Anyway, this album is fine. Fleet Foxes does the same schtick better.
Two weeks heeeerlijk
Really solid indie album. Foreground is living in my head at the moment and it refuses to budge, but the rest wasn't extremely memorable to me for whatever reason. Still enjoyed it though.
After a first listen I was really disappointed in the album. The first four songs were incredible, but the album fully dropped off after that. During the second listen new songs like "Ready, Able" and "Cheerleader" popped out of the album. A third listen it finally fully clicked as an entire album. I knew Grizzly Bear from when this album came out and thought for all those years this was one of those boring new-folk albums that were popular in that era. I'm glad to have been proven wrong. Really great. 4,5*
Sehr cooler Indiesound. Manche experimentelle Elemente haben mich allerdings zum Skippen gebracht, weil es nervig wurde.
Highlights: All We Ask, Fine For Now.
Doet me wat denken aan een mix van Flaming lips, Fleet Foxes en Arcade Fire. Leuke muziek, maar had er meer van verwacht
Indie rock. Kind of interesting. Some good songs. Free for now.
Pff
Behalve dat ene bekende nr vond ik het helemaal niks. Er waren zelfs tracks waar ik me gewoon aan zat te ergeren.
Interessante plaat. Die moet ik nog een paar keer luisteren, maar wat ik hoorde vond ik tof.
Altijd wel een fijne band gevonden. Het album Shields is voor mij hun beste. Dit album is nog iets te wisselvallig maar met een aantal erg mooie uitschieters.
Dit zit Op het snijvlak van woede en bewondering.
This was like supermassive black whole in the way that I wanted to like it more than I did. There was real cool cinematic moments that grabbed my attention but the rest was borin. Would listen again
Beautiful atmosphere. This album made me a fan of the band, and in my opinion their best work came after this gem.
Hell yeah. Love this album.
Not perfect, but for a reason I can't explain I had to listen four times. Vexing that I can't describe why! I love the instrumentation, vocal lines, and lyrics. Definitely will come back to this and maybe after 10 times I'll have an idea why I must.
decent
Classic indie album, circa 2010. Some great/nostalgic tracks on here but also a handful of boring songs.
Ah, now I know where that one song in the old VW commercials comes from. Too many "oh's" and "ah's" for one album. Sounds like a product of the late aughts but not in a terrible way. The use of a wide range of instruments is cool, and there's some tracks where it really works, such as "I Live With You." There's nothing really wrong with this album, but it doesn't stand out much from the rest of the late 2000s/early 2010s indie scene. Perhaps listening to this for the first time in 2009 would have brought about some magic, but to 2022 ears, the album isn't anything incredible. It aged okay and that's fine. There's probably a very niche group of people who adore this album, and in some ways I can see why.
This album was fine, some good vibes.
Rather forgettable mumble core - bar the first two tracks which somehow stick well. But it tapers off rather steeply from the third song onwards. It’s the last gasp of noughties indie.
Got a couple of good songs for sure. Overall a bit annoying.
Interesting cool sounds didn’t quite live up to the potential on the songwriting side got kind of boring
This is an incredible album. Especially the song Ready, Able. Watch the music video too it's really good and weird.
esta riquin
Not my kind of tunes
Sgt. Pet Sounds Satanic Airplane's Request
Started off pretty cool, the fish song was weird but catchy, and by the end I kinda lost interest a bit.
Effortlessly boring
One hit wonder
it makes me so happy to see this artist and album here!!! Takes me back to my 'hipster' uni times
Love this album and still occasionally put it on. One of the few CDs I bought.
I liked a few tracks (Two Weeks esp), but the rest was just aggressively average.
Very enjoyable
love two weeks did not know who made it. always heard the song in a commercial tho
Two Weeks
Interesting mixture of folk and rock
Interesting - indie with touches of... other things. Haunting and beautiful.
Eh. Two Weeks is a classic. Honestly disappointed by the rest of the album.
Coffee shop music
Great I love it
Loved the beach boys psych era wall of sound, aggressive guitars doing everything short of distortion contrasting a singer who, not to be cruel, had a pooh bear husk to his voice.
Good initial response, I like the odd-randomness. It's quite ethereal and really hard to classify.
This is a solid album. I had listened to this one before and am a fan of Grizzly Bear before, there are people here being whiny, calling it hipster trash and a lawyer saying it flat out sucks, they’re wrong and dumb. This is an excellent sprawling album with amazing vocals that starts with back to back bangers in Southern Point and Two Weeks. There is a bit of a lull in the middle but it ends strong from Hold Still to Foreground. Excellent band, excellent album!
Come on! This is garbage - don’t recycle it
I actually never listened to Grizzly Bear except know a couple songs. Was pleasantly surprised by how this started out but then got kind of meh as it continued.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a great album, but for its genre. Not what I expected from 1001 albums 3/5
One of my favorite albums to go to when I need to chill out.
A solid classic.
Pluss for kult bandnavn og relativt vanskelig albumnavn. Minus for litt rar start. Two weeks er jo visstnok deres mest strømmede sang og svingte bra så jeg skal ikke være vrang. Kul vibe, men ikke helt innertier for min del.
Er det meg eller plata det er noe gærent med? Kaotisk skrangleorkester. Dette orker jeg bare ikke etter en natt med baby som ikke sover.
Too mellow for me. And a bit too ‘considered’. Not enough spontaneity for me. Like a less melodic Beach Boys in places. Soporific.
This had a warm feel to it. I loved the bass and drums combination, plus it was rather soulful in places.I lost it a little halfway through with all the hippy shit.
Indie sound, a bit intrascendental
Not a bad album at all. Pretty pleasant modern alternative rock. 3.5 rounded down because I have no idea what makes it relevant enough to be on this list.
It was fine. Won't listen again though.
Two weeks is a great song but I was otherwise unswayed by the rest of the album, though it does possess some Jeff Buckley feel which I was unaware of before this listen. Talented band just not particularly my cup of tea.
good folk-rock
No es mi estilo. Aburrido.
Dare I say it....but OTT production?
Lekkere indie shit voel me net een hipster
Wist niet dat two weeks zo heette en van hun was. Zeer verhalend!! Ieder nummer is anders Zweverige vibe
Pretty bad actually
Hljómar frekar tilgerðarlega. Nokkur fín stef en ekkert sem ég mun hlusta á aftur.
Pretty dull, innit?
sad and somber. not a good mood for me at this time in my life
Unique fusion of prog rock, indie rock, and alternative in one. Very musical and pleasant to the ear.
Quiet, melodic, interesting. Reminisce of Fleet Foxes, and Tame Impala.
Enjoyable. 2.5 Best Track: Two Weeks
Marquemos este disco como pendiente. Lo he escuchado, pero es de esos que merecen varias escuchas y no he tenido tiempo de hacerlo. Eso sí, cuando salió ya estaba en plena aventura a través del indie pop, pero este disco no hizo nada por mí.
Loved it
I really love this album. Normally a winter play, especially a late night, great for working too. Two Weeks is a classic tune thats loaded with history and memories for me - definitely a song I'll carry with me forever. That said, most of the other tracks (while good) feel unsubstantial. Two Weeks and Foreground are killer bookends to a good album overall. Standout Tracks: Two Weeks, Foreground
This is an album I should have been really interested in when it was released, fitting right into the genre of indie rock music I was obsessing with at the time, but for some reason I never paid much attention to it outside of the insanely popular "Two Weeks". Listening to it now, I realize I shouldn't have slept on this one for so long. It's not the height of the genre by any means, but its a delightfully complex, layered, rich sound that alternates smartly between catchy, optimistic 'summery' tunes and gloomy emotional 'wintery' ones. It goes on just a little too long for my liking and probably would have come in perfectly around the 40-45 minute mark, but I'll definitely be returning to this one many more times. Standout tracks: "Southern Point", "Two Weeks", "Fine for Now", "Ready, Able" and "While You Wait for the Others", "Foreground"
This album reminds me of wintertime which I really like The guitar on this sounds amazing and it sounds nostalgic I feel like I would listen to this more as a full album, not just individual songs Enjoyed a lot 7/10
Boring and extremely forgettable music. The beginning started off ok but as the album plodded along it lost my attention frequently. I hate the singers voice/vocal style. This music just is not for me.
Diverse styles each song and great vocals
Encore moins mon genre d'indie que Tortoise, un peu trop drabe et flat à mon goût.
I recognised Two Weeks but apart from that Grizzly Bear have been on my 'heard good things, must check them out one day' list for the past ten years. It took me a while to warm to this album but I enjoyed it plenty by the end. While You Wait For The Others was my highlight. None of it felt completely new to me - it reminded me a lot of how Wild Beasts sounded around that time (I think Wild Beasts win that fight btw - there are more of them after all, but admittedly it depends on the type of beast). Also, the album kind of meandered at times in the middle. But like I say, my overriding feeling was this was a pleasant listen. 3.5 stars
This is one of those bands I've seen mentioned a lot but have never actually listened to. Pretty interesting album. I'd like to give it a few more listens, which may ultimately change my score, but I'll stick with 4 stars now. I thought Foreground (final track) was really good.
Middle of the road and quite forgettable to be honest. Sounds in places like Fleet Foxes, but only briefly.
Uhhh quite liked this one, i should listen to more or this kind of music
This started out well but eventually all of the songs started to sound the same
ohh ohh oh OHHHH
2009 was a very beneficial year for the ever changing indie landscape and Grizzly Bear was one of the many bands that saw their fortunes change with Veckatimest. Rock and baroque collide to make a never ending kaleidoscope of experimental genre blending. This comes highly recommended.
Alternative pop/rock with some experimentation sprinkled in. The result is a mixed album consisting of a couple of OK and some more not-so-OK tracks. Nothing really stands out in either direction - there is no really horrible song here, but nothing is particualarly good either. 2.5/5
Another album that I didn't have anything to base my expectations on. First couple of songs had my expectations high but the rest of the album felt pretty medium to me. 1. Southern Point 2. Two Weeks 3. While You Wait For The Others
Very good
Grizzly Bear clearly are very musically literate. This album can be characterized as psychedelic folk rock with electronic touches and moments that would be at home on a British alternative album from the 2000s. CSN like harmonies can be found throughout and the rhythms are varied and interesting. Grizzly Bear is a legendary band in indie circles but their music is accessible and their influences can be easily gleaned in listening.
a roller-coaster ride
bit meh wasnt feeling it again maybe a grower
Very easy to listen to but also very fresh
Don't like
Lo fi country rock. Meh
I liked this one! Good 00s indie.
Very solid Great production
The kinda stuff I would have been mad into when I was a 15yo weed enthusiast. Weirdly makes me think of if the post-Brian-Wilson-breakdown Beachboys had gotten into Shoegaze but decided it needed a bit of pep.
chill af, late night relaxing. Male vocals with mellow music
Ahh memories. This is the album that got me into Grizzly Bear back in 2013.
Pretty dang lovely, I'll tell you whut... Fave track - "Two Weeks", or maybe "Dory"
Meh. I don’t get the appeal. A bunch of ethereal sounds without a soul.
This was decent. Sounds like these guys were influenced by Jeff Buckley and Arcade Fire and in turn might have influenced Tame Impala but I didn’t really hear anything in here that would make me want to listen to this album again. “While You Wait for the Others” was the clear standout track for me.
Hit & miss, all the way through. Started strong, disappeared into the background then I noticed how annoyed "Dory" made me feel. Ditto "Hold Still", which sounded creepy. Didn't add (or enjoy)
Lots of interesting sound, but more vibey than tuneful. "Two Weeks," the most tuneful, earworms in the worst way. Few of the songs advance far beyond the premise, which feels workably arty though also cold and hypothetical. Thought this record was overhyped upon release and still think so.
The definition of ok
I really liked this album. The vocals are beautiful and compliment the music very well. I felt like the style of the album got a bit repetitive toward the end 4/5
Veckatimest is the first full album I've listened to from Grizzly Bear. I've heard the track "Two Weeks" before, and I think I have a track or two from an earlier Grizzly Bear album on a personal play list. Grizzly Bear fits in well with some of the indie bands from the early 2000's that I like. In some cases, I hear a sound that reminds me of Fleet Foxes. I saved "Two Weeks", "Ready, Able", "About Face", and "Foreground" to my re-play playlist. The calm mood of the album hides some of the potential of this album. I liked all of the tracks enough, so I'm rounding up to a full 4 stars.
This isn't normally my thing, but I really enjoyed this album. Fine for Now and While You Wait for the Others were standout tracks in my opinion. In general, I just liked most of the melodies and the simplistic-sounding recording. It was very pleasant. I can't quite get to 4 stars on this, but it's a solid 3+
Not really doing it for me.