Grizzly Bear released their fourth album in 2012, an album equally as influential as their previous releases. Shields arrived after Veckatimest, the album that propelled them into the indie spotlight. Shields further solidified their reign over striking melodies and lyrics that swell through an endless passage of emotions via an atmospheric barrage of sounds. The band continues to satisfy with their boundless range, hitting high and low tempos to complement any mood with a cohesive blend of songs.

Shortly after releasing Shields, the band followed up with Shields: B-Sides to complement the album. The B-Sides version includes music from the same recording sessions that brought about the original album, including remixes from artists like Nicolas Jaar, Liars and Lindstrøm.