Veckatimest [PA] [Digipak] (CD - 2009)

One of the most highly anticipated indie-rock releases of 2009, VECKATIMEST finds Grizzly Bear continuing its nearly exponential leaps in creativity and scope from album to album. While the Brooklyn act's second full-length outing, YELLOW HOUSE, garnered considerable acclaim and solidified the quartet's moody and experimental, yet always tuneful, sound, this remarkable record soars confidently to loftier heights, as best evinced on the urgent folk-tinged opener, "Southern Point," and the gorgeous "Two Weeks," which floats along on stunning vocal harmonies and shimmering electronic flourishes. Like its contemporaries Animal Collective and Deerhunter, Grizzly Bear impressively transcends hipster hype to produce songs that grow more intriguing with time, and, with VECKATIMEST, it may have just crafted its own PET SOUNDS. minimize