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November 01, 2004
Jellystone National
Grizzly Bear - Don't Ask
There are a lot of bands whose press you read before you get a chance to hear their music, and you form an idea in your mind about how they might sound. For example, almost every review of synth-rockers M83 that I read mentioned My Bloody Valentine as a touchstone for the band's sound. When I finally did hear M83's LP I was disappointed, because their music didn't exactly match up with what had sort of been playing in my head when I imagined the album. This song, from Grizzly Bear's forthcoming debut LP, 'Horn of Plenty', is what I really, really wanted Panda Bear's solo album, 'Young Prayer', to sound like (not that I don't enjoy Young Prayer, but it's not exactly a 'fun' record). The kind of folk-pop that Grizzly Bear(s; there's three people in the band) produces has the same predilection for melody and experimentation that the best Animal Collective songs have (Leaf House, Slippi, Winter's Love, We Tigers, College), but without the occasional, you know, 12 minute one-chord missteps (Visiting Friends).
'Don't Ask' is a note to an ex-lover, about wanting to stay ignorant about the other person's post-breakup life, and becoming resigned to be willfully unobtrusive. The track has a soft, warm feel to it, and it shows the care that Ed Droste (main Grizzly Bear) must have exercised when writing these songs over the nine month period of 'hibernation' (as the band's bio claims) he went through after the disintegration of a relationship. Droste has a very vulnerable voice, and it's terribly endearing in the same way that a slight speech impediment can be. If that makes any sense. You can check out some more stuff about/by the band over at their label, Kanine Records. Then watch out for their music to appear on the O.C., during the episode when Seth Cohen grows a long beard and starts bench-pressing watermelons because free-weights are "too mainstream". (pssst, Fox, call me about licensing this plot).
Posted by matt at November 1, 2004 08:00 AM