The much-hyped release of Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest could have led to abject failure. True, it got the band more attention than it has ever had, both critically and commercially, but all too often bands can collapse under the pressure of that good press, even if they put out a record that is good, but not great.
So it is just all the more impressive that Veckatimest stood up to such scrutiny and managed to impress everyone from hipsters to Beyonce and Jay-Z. At first listen, the album may seem frontloaded with leading songs ""Southern Point"" and ""Two Weeks"" segueing into more serene fare like ""All We Ask."" But right around the time the album gets to ""Dory,"" perhaps the secret weapon of Veckatimest, it becomes clear each of these calm, peaceful tracks brings the depth to the table even if they're not the first tracks to jump to mind. ""Dory"" in particular has a sorrowful whimsy to it that can be easy to pass over, but piques curiosity and invites repeated listens, much in part to the fact that it sounds like absolutely nothing else in indie rock. This sound would justify much of Veckatimest's praise on its own, but even beyond that Grizzly Bear varies up the album just enough so those not in tune to the serenity of ""Dory"" can still fall in line with the stomping infectiousness of ""While You Wait for the Others,"" solidifying the album's deserved high status.
