Album Review: Grizzly Bear - Shields

Four years. If, like me, you are one of Grizzly Bear's diehard fans, that's how long you had to wear out your copy of 2009's excellent Veckatimest. What was the four-piece's most accessible record has been stretched to Shields, with the same softly-spoken melodies underpinned by lush orchestral arrangements phasing in and out like the cosmic atmosphere that their music frames.

Being a continuation on what they established those four years ago, Shields is not a great sonic departure. The acoustic strum from second track Speak In Rounds is almost a carbon copy of the riff from Veckatimest's opener Southern Point, while the vocal harmonies still rely on the verbose storytelling of Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen. What is an evolution in Grizzly Bear's sound is the sounds that sit on the periphery; rhythms and melodies are predictable, but the group's ongoing infatuation with electronic and pedal trickery raise the album as a whole to the next tier. Single Yet Again serves as a good example: a simple interplay between piano and guitar is treated to church hall-style acoustics, giving it an ethereal flavour. The Hunt and A Simple Answer fill gaps with an interesting mix of jarring French horn and string arrangements. A clear standout, though, is Gun-Shy; opening with a simple-yet-punchy percussion beat (insert Rilo Kiley connections here), it stands out from the rest of the album due to its slight groove.

Whilst Veckatimest may have been a statement of connecting to a broader audience, Shields is the continuation of what has seemed to become a comfortable, yet satisfying space for Grizzly Bear.