Upon first listen, Grizzly Bear’s “Mourning Sound” is a rock track underpinned by guilt and a chugging bassline. Vocalist Ed Droste confesses to making a mistake over a persistent snare and nearly sighs while delivering the track’s most weary line: “Let love ache, and watch it burn out and die.” But shortly after that observation, an almost magical shift occurs: the bass drops out, the drums halt, and we’re left with guitar strums and synths that reverberate in now empty space, sparkling for a brief, but treasured pause. This moment of reprieve repeats throughout, allowing the track to breathe. It gestures towards the beauty behind the wordless clarity that can only be gained upon second reflection.
It’s a mature cut from the Grizzly Bear’s upcoming fifth album, Painted Ruins, and one which shows the band has developed since their last release five years ago. As in that illustrative record title, “Mourning Sound” seeks to recast a damaged element from the past into something more magnificent and affirming. It’s a complex addition to the Grizzly Bear cannon, and we can’t wait to see how it fits into the full album, which will be released through RCA Records on August 18.