Album Review: Grizzly Bear, Painted Ruins

Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead isn’t known for saying much on stage. In fact, during the band’s entire career, he only once uttered anything; thanking a support act and calling them his favourite band in the world.
And well he might. Part of the second wave of NYC acts to emerge onto the international stage in the noughties, Grizzly Bear swiftly earned a devoted fanbase for their sweetly melodic alt.pop. They quartet have kept the quality control impressively high throughout their career and they have another winner on their hands with this latest offering.
The excellent Painted Ruins is band’s fifth album and first since 2012. Ed Droste, Christopher Bear and co. have gained a formidable reputation as a live act, and also as an astonishingly consistent outfit in the studio. Painted Ruins is as good as Yellow House or Veckatimest, both strong contenders for album of the decade.
In an era where alternative Americana has become drenched in irony (Arcade Fire) or obsessed with persona (Father John Misty), it is refreshing to hear Grizzly Bear finely tuning their craft and getting on with the business of being brilliant.
They alternate between dreamy atmospherics on the opening track ‘Wasted Acres’ and propulsive anthems like ‘Morning Sound’. This is their first album on the major RCA after a prolific run with Warp Records. Paradoxically, this is probably the most Warp sounding record they’ve ever put out, so it’s heartening to hear that they were most certainly left to their own devices.
Grizzly Bear bassist Chris Taylor produced this album, which they say is far more collaborative than their back catalogue. It’s a timely reminder of their peerless genius, and augurs beautifully for the launch of their world tour in Vicar St this October.