Tom Lynch

Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear has had some growing hype for the last few months--a while ago a friend of mine asked me if I'd heard the new record, I said I hadn't and asked what it sounded like, and he said, "You know, pretty good." That's a usable description. The band had an adventurous, near-experimental endeavor with its debut, 2004's lo-fi "Horn of Plenty," mixing and mashing electronics and acoustic, folk-style instruments, layering voices and, actually with surprise, some indie-rock indifference that lent the record some style and swagger that made up for its emptiness. A remix album followed (hello, Kings of Convenience) as did last fall's "Yellow House," a breakthrough of sorts for the band, on Warp Records. More ambitious this time around, the band is full now, using all of its resources--horns, strings, acoustics, vocal harmonies and all. "Yellow House" is impressive in both its sprawling scope and fine-tuned execution. A band that assuredly has bright, bright days ahead, catch them now at a venue this small.

Grizzly Bear plays February 9 at Subterranean, 2011 West North, (773)278-6600, at 10pm. $10.

(2007-02-06)

Also by Tom Lynch

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I can't remember the '85 championship season. I was 4. I have a vague recollection of just the start of the game, sitting in my aunt's living room, inches from the television, while the elders in my family cracked beers and snacked, unworried, awaiting the inevitable domination. I remember that Gary Fencik was my favorite player, and that I thought the Fridge was funny, because, well, you know--he was fat
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