Watching Grizzly Bear grow and evolve over the past three albums – from the minimal beginnings of Horn of Plenty to the orchestral pop of Veckatimest – has been one of the great pleasures of being a music fan. So, it has been with bated breath and anxious ears that we've waited for Shields (out September 18 on Warp Record), the band's first new record since ye olde halcyon days of 2009.
Now that wait is finally over, and from Daniel Rossen's urgent guitar work on "Yet Again" to heartfelt piano-driven closer, "Sun In Your Eyes," Grizzly Bear is living up to its impossibly-high expectations. At times darker and more driven than albums past, Shields is the sound of a band that's sure of itself and the direction in which it's headed. Listen to the record in its entirety over at NPR and let us know what you think in the comments.