Indie rock has reached a bit of a quandary lately; too many bands are riding the coattails of their contemporaries. Artists that have been able to properly step up and offer something fresh and original are few and far between. There have been some close calls, but they lacked the focus needed to ensnare the attention of the present-day music critic. Our savior comes in the form of four men from Brooklyn under the moniker Grizzly Bear. When their second album Yellow House was released in 2006 there was an immediate uproar of praise and approval - it was a masterpiece of experimental acoustic rock providing the texture and cohesion originally thought to only exist in the landscape of electronic genres. Everyone wanted more.

Fast forward to 2009; Grizzly Bear have garnered enough attention to tour with big-name bands like Radiohead and perform on an array of late-night talk shows. They have also completed their follow-up to Yellow House, Veckatimest, named after a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. As per usual, the band fails to disappoint and offers us yet another brilliant album. GB kept their word about Veckatimest being livelier and more uplifting than its predecessor with the poppy opening number “Southern Point” and the psychedelic jazziness of “About Face.” Fans will still recognize their usual supine tempos and dreamy sway in the songs “Ready, Able” and “Hold Still,” though, while “Dory,” with its bubbly vocals by band member Daniel Rossen (also of the band Department Of Eagles), solidifies the idea that maybe these guys are obsessed with writing songs about the ocean (See also: “Deep Blue Sea” and “Deep Sea Diver” from the recently released Dark Was The Night compilation and first album Horn Of Plenty, respectively).

As Isaac Hayes was to soul in the '70s, and Nirvana was to rock in the '90s, Grizzly Bear is to indie in the present day. But what does the term indie mean nowadays? It has become an amalgamation of so many different styles and genres that it’s hard to keep track of what is what. There’s honestly no need to anymore. Music addicts will feast on whatever sounds good no matter what plate it’s presented on, and right now they dine on Grizzly Bear. - Nick Truden