Grizzly Bear: Pushing Boundaries Of Pop

Grizzly Bear.

Tom Hines

Much like the group's namesake, Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear grabs hold and doesn't let go. Its spare acoustic melodies blend with plaintive piano figures, dusty strings and enough pop elements to connect emotionally.

Grizzly Bear began as the name Edward Droste gave to his psychedelic home-recording experiments. The 2004 album Horn of Plenty tore through underground circles quickly, at which point the group expanded to include three additional members on guitar, reeds and electronics. Grizzly Bear's second disc (Yellow House) and subsequent Friend EP bolstered the band's growing reputation.

Grizzly Bear's highly anticipated third album, Veckatimest, is a compellingly eclectic experience. Full of inventively arty and hypnotic arrangements, Grizzly Bear pushes pop's boundaries like few other modern bands. Its members recently sat down with World Cafe to discuss the production of Veckatimest, as well as their reactions to the album's leak three months before its official release.