The track begins with a loose drum beat over some low keyboard chords (featuring cricket noises). The song ebbs and flows for a few moments before Droste breathes life into "Will Calls" with vocals dripping with warm, tasty soul. Eventually, the song explodes into an uptempo refrain, somehow managing to maintain the same sense of tenderness. "Will Calls" is an inspiring back and forth voyage through the apologetic and triumphant, reaching volumes generally unheard of in Grizzly Bear's music. The only downside to this is that the production value suffers in comparison to the originals in Shields. But, perhaps with the reissue, a refined version of "Will Calls" will emerge. And hopefully, this version will be able to withstand the emotional onslaught that is "Will Calls."
Check out "Will Calls" below and tell me what you think. Seriously, I want to know.
-Kane
Only because you asked for it: Alright, this song's pretty great. But is this song slightly lacking in GBear's unique sound? Sure, that's not a fair way to judge any piece of music, but I might argue that it drops this song ever so slightly below the great you mentioned, "While You Wait For The Others." So I'll admit from the beginning this is a petty argument, and it's more a matter of an OCD urge to rank subjective art into objective placements. Bear with me. I haven't heard the guitar strumming or bass lines that begin While You Wait anywhere else: that's instantly recognized as Grizzle Bear brilliance. And then it seamlessly transitions into a chorus that's one level of catchy above Will Calls. Even the bridge near the end, of singers responding to each other in a barrage of harmonized voices, climbing to a chorus too great for words (literally, he's just humming... no, crooning) before settling back onto the platform by which we began. That's a pretty daunting hill for a new song to climb. I guess I'm a little too nostalgic to pass on the torch so soon. But I'll say, those little guitar picking harmonies in Will Calls are pretty great. What do you think? Please do disagree.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone's reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ4jZeGUFzI
I feel like maybe I dug my own grave with this post, especially because "While You Wait" is one of my all-time favorite songs. I think the reason "Will Calls" gets so much love from me is because it's sort of a sign of growth for Grizzly Bear. Maybe growth isn't necessarily the right word, but I don't want to call it a change of direction either; Grizzly Bear still sounds like Grizzly Bear in this song. It's just... Different. Songs like "Knife" and "While You Wait" are so great because they establish the kind of sound that Grizzly Bear has been developing over the years sooooo perfectly, but "Will Calls" is something unexpected. The song pretty much explodes, and that's not something Grizzly Bear normally does. It's like... if someone asked me to Grizzly Bear them I'd play those two songs and maybe like... "Fine for Now," just to get a little more mellowed out part of their music, but if someone wanted to know what they were doing as a band these days, I'd point out this song and say "they're changing." So yeah, "While You Wait for the Others" might be the "better" song as far as structure and layering and all that fun stuff, but "Will Calls" is a better representation of the way Grizzly Bear is capable of surprising listeners, and I really love it for that.
ReplyDeleteI should probably also point out that they didn't think "Will Calls" belonged on Shields, so maybe it's not a good representation of them moving in a different direction at all. Really, I'm not arguing at all. I'm trying to say "I guess you're right" without completely going back on everything I said in this post (typical).
-Kane
Maybe it's all about the money. Yes of course it's a great song but the length of the song may have (conspicuously) prohibited adding to the original release. It's a band's job to make great music; it's a record labels job to make money.
ReplyDeleteIn the words of the great Steven Patrick Morrissey...
Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!
Re-evaluate the songs
Double pack with a photograph
Extra Track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist
Paint a Vulgar Picture.
*Dad thinks your writing, grammar and style is very professional*
*Dad is not sure why he's writing in the third person*
Whoa.... That's deep, Dad. Yeah, that would make sense. It's such a good song, I couldn't think of a reason it wouldn't make it onto Shields.
ReplyDelete