Why aren't you listening to Grizzly Bear?

No seriously.  Are they too pretty?  Listening to Grizzly bear is the most satisfying musical experience I've had since I was 14 and heard The Beatles' Revolver.  Both bands satisfied something inside me that recognizes exceptionally well composed pieces of pop music.

Why is it so much easier for me to write about something I hate than something I really like?

When Katy Perry stand next to Anna Kournikova on the Graham Norton show, you realize no matter how hard Katy makes those tits work, she can't cut it.  Unless you prefer a cheap date, the grace and strength of Anna makes Katy seem kind of pathetic.  Anna exerts herself for a living.  What does Katy do?  Squeeze into tight dresses?

Grizzly Bear may be more challenging to listen to then say, the Katy Perry's of the world (sorry, she works for both comparisons), but like Anna and her natural grace and hard earned strength, they're also more worthwhile.  But because they're incorrectly grouped with their contemporaries, fashionable novelty acts like Beach House, they haven't earned their deserved level of notoriety.  A more accurate comparison could be made with canonical pop acts like the Beach Boys.

Take Beach House.  Victoria Legrand has an undeniably haunting and recognizable voice.  OK, fine.  Who is that other guy?  What is she doing with that keyboard?  Are they crafting songs?  Or is he wanking on arpeggios for four minutes?

Like Beach House, most acts today are gimmick rockers.  There's nothing unexpected.  The argument is usually that their sound is organic, less produced, more raw.  Yeah, okay, but do you want raw meat or a perfectly prepared steak with all the trimmings?  This isn't the 70's.  Stop pretending it's novel to not know how to play your instruments.
Like Grizzle Bear.  These guys make you work for it.  Because they're not writing it to sell.  They're nervous art school boys, they like to keep to themselves.  It's a cliche but that's what makes it so satisfying.  Perhaps it's good these guys aren't mega stars.  I don't know what I'd do if I saw Ed Droste on reality TV, drunkenly apologizing for infidelity   I'd like to think I'd be sick.  But if you're reading this, you're probably not going to sell them out.  So please go give them a listen.