Before Dirty Projectors' critically acclaimed "Bitte Orca" turned all non-believers into hard knock fans, they had all ready attracted quite the following. Due particularly to Yale graduate Dave Longstreth's notion that the voice is the most beautiful instrument available, Dirty Projectors have been a growing force in the experimental art rock scene. The band had released 5 LPs before getting noticed globally for their hit smash "Stillness Is The Move." "Bitte Orca," the group's first record with Domino Records, is their most cohesive, their most listenable and definitely their most enjoyable. The majority of the first five records consisted of weird vocal experimentation and off tempo scores.
"Rise Above," the lead single off their 2007 LP of the same name, is a fantastic preview of good music to come. Longstreth's vocals, accompanied by Angel Deradoorian and Amber Coffman, is a perfect combination. And while their voices have always sounded great together before, "Rise Above" brings them to harmonies they had never achieved prior, and lyrics utterly beautiful. Thanks to the slow drum riffs, the mellow guitar patterns and their three voices in unison, "Rise Above" still stands as one of the group's best songs.
What other indie band do you know that has Jay-Z and Beyonce as fans? With 2009's "Veckatimest," Grizzly Bear became one of the most talked about bands in the indie scene. Their continual growth as artists made them better and better; "Veckatimest" is a testament to that fact. "Knife," off 2006's "Yellow House," has become the unofficial hipster anthem. C.S.S. and Band of Horses have covered it.
On YouTube, you will find Zach Condon of Beirut singing it on the streets of Paris. "Knife" combines the distinctive vocals of Daniel Rossen, Edward Droste, Chris Taylor, and Christopher Bear in the most exceptional way. The most wonderful thing is about them is, as you can tell from the above video, that they can recreate the eeriness of the studio version with just their voices. Watching them perform this song live at Melkweg Concert Hall in Amsterdam was probably my favourite moment as a concert-goer. Grizzly Bear is just one of those awesome bands that are way better live.
No comments:
Post a Comment