In the build up to upcoming album Painted Ruins, Grizzly Bear put out new single Neighbours, which seemingly nods to wavelengths similar to that of singles past. The lyrics are a sad contemplation of the aftermath of a relationship, which is somewhat dimmed by the outwardly up beat instrumentalism. Carried by ever-present percussion, the song journeys through soft acoustic riffs rivalled with harsh guitar distortions, stirring harmonies and mellow orchestral notes. The technique is excellent, but with dark lyrics – like “face to face/we’ll watch our bodies break” – it doesn’t really fit the feel of the song, together with the fact the huge mix of instruments and styles make the track feel a bit busy and overwhelming. I get a few mixed messages from this one, but one thing remains clear; Two Weeks is still their number one song.
Eleanor Chivers
Leave a Reply