Released: 2012
Essentials: 2012

Shields is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on September 18, 2012 on Warp Records. Written and recorded following a six-month hiatus from band activities, the album was produced by bassist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Taylor, and preceded by the singles, "Sleeping Ute" and "Yet Again". Shields has been described as the band's most collaborative album, with vocalist and guitarist Daniel Rossen noting, "The band's aim was to write and make music that is as collaborative as possible, so that we have a product that we all feel a sense of authorship over as a collective." The album received acclaim upon release. Shields reached a peak position of #17 on the UK Albums Chart and #7 on the Billboard 200. After extensive touring in support of the band's third studio album, Veckatimest (2009), Grizzly Bear undertook a six-month hiatus from band-related activities. Vocalist Ed Droste noted, "There was such a level of exhaustion that I really needed to pretend I wasn't in the band for a little bit. I needed to be back in my life with my friends and my spouse, and live a day-to-day existence that had nothing to do with music. That was really good for everybody."Vocalist and guitarist Daniel Rossen stated, "Those were strange times... I felt a little bit shell-shocked by the touring experience of Veckatimest and part of me was just wondering if there was some other version of a life that I could have that wasn't as heavily involved in the music industry." During the break, bass guitarist and producer Chris Taylor released a solo album, Dreams Come True (2011), under the pseudonym CANT, stating, "I can't just take a break. For whatever reason, I'm the kind of person who needs to constantly to work on stuff. When we finished touring, I didn't want to take some time off, I just wanted to go into the studio. But, I really didn't want to book myself in with a band and go record them, so I decided I'd try and make my own record." Daniel Rossen recorded and released a solo EP, Silent Hour/Golden Mile (2012), featuring tracks initially intended for Shields. Read more on Last.fm.