Grizzly Bear

photo by Tom Himes

Now, I’m not one to easily choose favorites, especially when it comes to things like music, TV, and movies. Usually, when someone asks me what my favorite _______ is, I just smile and nod and pick something quick. But my ability to say one title of a movie or one band is not because I am a decisive person. It’s because I know better than to bore other people as I stammer and recall a twenty item list (if you really want to know you can find it here). But there is one thing I can say for sure is absolutely my favorite, and that is the band Grizzly Bear. 

Gosh, I love them. 

My love affair with Grizzly Bear began in a rather low key way. Truth is, I never intended to listen to them. Sure, I had heard their big hit, “Two Weeks”, but I kind of wrote them off as a slow, mellow band with one catchy hit. At the time, I typically listened to more upbeat music, and I wasn’t exactly a super hip music kid or anything. But one night I was on a trip to Seattle with my cousins and I had to share a room with one of their friends. Now, I am not a good sleeper. Any sliver of light or barely audible stirring will keep me up for hours. That being said, the person I had to share a room with was a very heavy snorer. And I loathe snoring more than anything. It makes my skin crawl and it keeps my awake to a point where I feel an anger I never thought possible. Now, after two years of living in college dorms, I know that earplugs are my best friend. But at the time I was woefully unprepared. All I had to block out the noise was my iPod. Now, my iPod is filled with Basement Jaxx and The Clash, not ideal music for trying to fall asleep. So after scrolling through my library a few times, I finally landed on the Grizzly Bear CD a friend had burned for me. “Perfect,” I thought, “This will put me to sleep in no time.”

After a while I fell asleep, and the CD continued to play on repeat the whole night. When I woke up I knew every damn song on that album. Now, I realize this doesn’t exactly sound like good advertising. I guess you could say I literally brainwashed myself into knowing their music. But after that one fateful night, something about their sounds just clicked with me. All through senior year of high school I studied pre-calculus exclusively to their album “Veckatimest” and when their latest album, “Shields” came out, I obsessively listened to every song on repeat for months.

The thing I love most about Grizzly Bear is that they are just real musicians. They know their craft and everything they make sounds beautiful. They’re not just trying to be trendy or clever, they’re just making amazing music. And once I really listened to it I realized their music is anything but boring; it is layered, detailed, captivating and adventurous. Listening to their music makes me picture vivid imagery and forces me to suppress the need to interpretive dance in public. Watching their music videos...well, they creep me out a little bit, but they’re super creative. What gets me every time is when they start out slow and meandering and then it all explodes into a fury of percussion. Another thing I love about them is that they have two lead singers, Ed Droste, and Daniel Rossen, who have some of the most unique voices I’ve ever heard and compliment and contrast each other wonderfully. 

Another thing I love about them is their lyrics. I admit, I’m not always the most analytical when it comes to music and I don’t always listen to songs for their meaning. But one thing Grizzly Bear has always done is made me care about what they were actually saying. I’m not saying I always know what they mean, but there’s something about them that just make me feel what is often referred to as human emotions.

Photo by Tom Spray

Now, I leave you with my top 5 favorite Grizzly Bear lyrics:

1. “If we're all faltering, 
     How'd I help with that?
     If it's all or nothing, 
     Then let me go.” 
      —Fine for Now

2. “Everything all at once”
     —What’s Wrong (I just chant this one to myself when the work starts to pile up)

3. “When I mention how I love you,
      It's all I do,
      Even as I stray.”
      —Half Gate

4. “By the look on your face
     The burden's on your back
     And the sun is in your eyes” 
     —Sun in Your Eyes

5. “Which of yourselves is truly gone?
      And checked out so long
      Unhinged, unwound
      Come help me on
      To let lie what's done
      In some great beyond
      You're still there, still as you were” 
      —Half Gate