Gorilla vs. Bear for Venus Zine: Boys of Summer Issue #40

By Chris Cantalini & David Bartholow
Published: August 1st, 2009 | 12:00am

What’s up y’all? Venus Zine asked us to contribute some of our thoughts on the best male-oriented artists on our musical radar, and we figured the task was a fine one, even though we adamantly believe women are holding it down everywhere all over the musical map. Needless to say, we’re pretty stoked to lend a hand. For our maiden column, we introduce you to some of the “dude groups” that will be soundtracking our long, hot Texas summer.

A lot’s already been said about Grizzly Bear, but they’re too important to deny and we can’t get enough of their gorgeous, game-changing new album, Veckatimest. In the hyper-urgent blog world, the album was as anticipated as Animal Collective’s instant-classic Merriweather Post Pavillion and generated the sort of frenzy that’s borderline unreasonable. But it’s all warranted. The four lads in Grizzly Bear are wickedly talented from every angle — top-notch songwriters, intelligent composers, and virtuosic musicians — with a talent for crafting timeless, ornamental pop unrivaled by most bands at any level. At once prescient and complex, their work bears a maturity and soulfulness very much rooted in ‘60s tones and modern ideals, and “Two Weeks” and “Cheerleader” are but two of the sunnier, poppier jams found in pockets of the sprawling Veckatimest.

On the other end of the spectrum of ageless, ‘60s-informed “pop,” you have Austin’s garage-soul-punk-psych trio, White Denim. The group not only avoids the dreaded sophomore slump on their mind-blowingly diverse new LP, Fits, they manage to push their signature sound forward into uncharted new territory. On this go of it, the group draws from such disparate and varied influences as Stevie Wonder, Funkadelic, and vintage Turkish psychedelic rock to create a work that is remarkably cohesive, soulful, and succinct — as simple as it is wild. In a live setting, it’s plainly evident that this is an impossibly versatile band at the top of its game. The uncanny chemistry between drummer Josh Block, bassist Steve Terebecki, and frontman-guitarist James Petralli results in an unhinged energy unlike anything we’ve witnessed in our many years of attending live shows. Fits might be the best album you’ll drive to all summer.

For the introspective moments and the occasional sock hop, there’s Girls, who are, in fact, two guys from San Francisco. On the sheer strength of an EP’s worth of gems and a few promising YouTube videos, Girls (founded by Christopher Owens and Chet “JR” White) have quickly established themselves as one of our favorite groups to emerge in the last year or so. We’ve been entranced with their indelible ‘50s pop melodies and stark, emotive lyricism, which will find itself buried anywhere between threadbare folk, no wave punk, or swells of reverb-soaked guitars and keyboards, depending on the jam. Owens’ confessional yearning comes from a man who’s seen the heartland and derives influence from his raw emotional quandaries, whether fictional or otherwise. The debut LP, the aptly titled Love Me Tender, preserves the sonic and emotional trajectory of their most affecting recorded material to date.

There’s a bit of a mystery surrounding Bullion, an emerging West London producer who composes highly fashionable pastiche gold akin to productions from the likes of J Dilla, Oh No, and the Avalanches. Bullion’s work has an intensely soulful swagger that would be appropriate for runways or underground dance floors, thanks to its dreamy, uptempo vibes and upbeat grandiosity. His new Young Heartache EP is consistently concise and brilliant, and already our summer jam. Download the EP’s centerpiece, “Time For Us All to Love,” a summery discotheque excursion suitable for tropical dance parties, whether you’re at the beach or a less gauche Studio 54.

Hear music from these dudes and get up close and personal with our new Penus Columnists on gorillavsbear.net.