photo courtesy of Nathaniel ShannonListening to
Caveman reminds me of just how much I loved
Grizzly Bear‘s wonderful
Veckatimest. Also from Brooklyn, the five-piece seem rather clichéd on paper: another plaid-clad group of bearded men that combine grandiose indie rock with subtle rootsy tinges. But
Caveman does it in a way that’s light, blissful, and intensely catchy. The standout track, “Decide,” from their latest LP shows it all: reverb-heavy guitars propel the track with a steady, comfortable rhythm, while singer Mathew Iwanusa doesn’t waste any time, dropping short bursts of focused, joyfully melodic delivery. All of this leads to an outstanding chorus, based on vocal hooks that are both peppy and ethereal. Other cuts on the album show off the band’s knack for coming up with delightful vocal harmonies, while never abandoning the relaxed flow of their music. Check out
CoCo Beware (out now on
Magic Man! Records) for more enchanting sounds to make your cave paintings to.
Caveman “Great Life” is Yourstru.ly from Yours Truly on Vimeo.