Since joining Grizzly Bear way back in late 2004, Chris Taylor has featured evermore prominently within the Seattle group’s work.
From initially only participating in the live performances, to producing their most recent record, Taylor’s importance within the outfit is not to be underestimated. However, with Dreams Come True he’s chosen to go it alone, attempting to prove his own worth as a musician and songwriter.
Where Grizzly Bear clung to their folk and entirely natural aesthetics, CANT experiments with a more electronically focused sound. The tribal beat experienced on album opener Too Late Too Far epitomizes this, covertly blended with Taylor’s softly delivered vocals. The synths are dominant and almost overly simplistic, yet they work impeccably. It’s difficult to review a side-project without drawing comparisons to the work of the musicians premier outfit, and whilst Dreams Come True doesn’t completely distance itself from the work of Grizzly Bear, it would be unjust to pigeonhole CANT as an inferior project.
After just a few listens it’s clear that Taylor borrows sounds from other indie-pop backed artists; there’s the Twin Shadow styled Believe and the gentle acoustic number She Found A Way Out, which both are purposefully unoffensive pop tracks. Much of the instrumentation harks back to the sounds of the early 80’s, in it’s unabashed simplicity and standard chord patterns. Everyone knows that Grizzly Bear are one of the pioneers of subtle, and Taylor proves he’s possibly a vital element to this, the delicately non-intrusive Bang highlighting this perfectly. As it slowly builds, Taylor’s vocals gain more and more power, before mourning ‘cross your heart, you’ve lost control again‘; melancholic yet hopeful.
Since joining Grizzly Bear way back in late 2004, Chris Taylor has featured evermore prominently within the Seattle group’s work. From initially only participating in the live performances, to producing their most recent record, Taylor’s importance within the outfit is not to be underestimated. However, with Dreams Come True he’s chosen to go it alone, attempting to prove his own worth as a musician and songwriter.
Where Grizzly Bear clung to their folk and entirely natural aesthetics, CANT experiments with a more electronically focused sound. The tribal beat experienced on album opener Too Late Too Far epitomizes this, covertly blended with Taylor’s softly delivered vocals. The synths are dominant and almost overly simplistic, yet they work impeccably. It’s difficult to review a side-project without drawing comparisons to the work of the musicians premier outfit, and whilst Dreams Come True doesn’t completely distance itself from the work of Grizzly Bear, it would be unjust to pigeonhole CANT as an inferior project.
After just a few listens it’s clear that Taylor borrows sounds from other indie-pop backed artists; there’s the Twin Shadow styled Believe and the gentle acoustic number She Found A Way Out, which both are purposefully unoffensive pop tracks. Much of the instrumentation harks back to the sounds of the early 80’s, in it’s unabashed simplicity and standard chord patterns. Everyone knows that Grizzly Bear are one of the pioneers of subtle, and Taylor proves he’s possibly a vital element to this, the delicately non-intrusive Bang highlighting this perfectly. As it slowly builds, Taylor’s vocals gain more and more power, before mourning ‘cross your heart, you’ve lost control again‘; melancholic yet hopeful.
Dreams Come True is not quite an idyllic pop album, yet it’s also far from a direct representation of the Seattle group. As expected from Taylor, the production and instrumentation is impeccable, the reverb drowned Answer being perhaps the only major blip, which suffers from over exaggeration, particularly on the vocals. Whilst many artists thrive under the pretense of their parent project, CANT could possibly do without the Grizzly Bear name being branded across it, as with Dreams Come True, Taylor has fashioned an adorably charming and sonically pleasing record.