Happy weekend!
Video Game Week is officially behind us and I can once again get to writing about music and movies (and occasionally the written word) that deserves praise. To be honest, though, I feel rusty and out of practice, so I'll start this resurgent phase with something short and sweet, instead of a long-winded diatribe on a double album. Let us take a look at a much loved but all-too-quickly forgotten single that we must not cast aside - 'Two Weeks' by Grizzly Bear.
My unending love for this song is something that beats at the very heart of this site - namely the feeling that we, as a collective culture, are moving so fast that great things are being cast off much too fast. This song is a perfect example of that feeling. Hip-to-the-sound readers will know that the charming and swaying song was released by the psyche-folk band almost a full two years ago, quickly rising in prominence. Featured in ads and samples and interpolations far and wide (including my favorite use as a backing track by Childish Gambino) the song was an almost instant hit. There's a certain characteristic to the tune that's just so charming (to reuse the word) and retro yet fresh and revitalizing. I love the way the keys bounce and pop through the track. The fuzz of a little guitar is a great accompaniment at the core of the song. The band's wordless "oohs" and "ahhhs" are so smooth and airy that you can't help croon along with them at every turn. There's a sound in there that I struggle to identify - is it a vocorder? Some kind of synth? Whatever it is, it breathes and adds a little twist that gives such a wonderful little push of life to 'Two Weeks' that takes it up a level.
I think that those little notes and touches are what make this dreamy little folk tune work so well. The song has nary an ounce of fat on it, yet it still clocks in at just over four minutes. A tight arrangement and some smart arrangments keep your ear engaged and keep the song feeling fresh, no matter how many times you hear it. Certainly with such a laid back, behind the beat air to 'Two Weeks' you could anticipate the song to drag or slow down, yet it still rolls along with the cheery piano diads.
My statement at the beginning of this post still stands - we move too quickly past great things at times. My appreciation for this song has only grown since it topped the charts and I get the feeling others have already forgotten about it, even though its only been two years since its debut. In the winter it cheers me up. In spring it grants a sense of rejuvenation. In summer it feels breezy and relaxed, a sunny tune for sitting and watching people. Don't forget about it - it's sublime.
Video Game Week is officially behind us and I can once again get to writing about music and movies (and occasionally the written word) that deserves praise. To be honest, though, I feel rusty and out of practice, so I'll start this resurgent phase with something short and sweet, instead of a long-winded diatribe on a double album. Let us take a look at a much loved but all-too-quickly forgotten single that we must not cast aside - 'Two Weeks' by Grizzly Bear.
