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Verse 2 of Grizzly Bear’s “Yet Again” presents a straightforward harmonic progression that is common in pop and indie rock music. This series of chords is mainly built around the key of A minor, and uses diatonic chords (those that naturally occur within the key) of this key. The recurring sequence (Am, G, C, F, F, Em, C, Dm) indicates a strong sense of familiarity and predictability, characteristic of many pop/rock anthologies.

“Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear exhibits a common pop chord progression and harmonic rhythm. The chords are primarily in root position, which contributes to the song’s straightforward and accessible sound. Stylistically, the track shows the band’s indie-rock influences and features a prominent piano part that drives the harmony.

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‘Set Fire to the Rain’ is written in the key of D minor. The main course of progression uses the chords of Dm, B-flat Major, F Major and C Major. This is a 6-4-1-5 progression, which is very popular and is used in a lot of pop music.

What makes this progression interesting is that Adele uses the 2nd inversion of the A minor chord, Am/B, and G/A, which gives it a unique timbre. `Am/B` is the 2nd inversion of the `Am` chord and `G/A` is the 2nd inversion of the `G` chord.

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“Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails utilizes a unique four-chord cycle in its chorus – ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘C’, ‘G’. The song is in the key of E minor, and therefore, the functional analysis would interpret this progression as i-IV-bVI-III. The bVI and III are borrowed chords from the parallel major scale. This chord progression creates a moody atmosphere that aligns with the overall melancholic and introspective theme of the song.

The song “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine is in the key of G Major, employing a mixture of major, minor, and additive chords to create a progression that lends itself to a pop/folk atmosphere. The song is largely composed of diatonic chords in the key of G Major, with an occasional use of a B7, which can be seen as a secondary dominant to Em.

Grizzly Bear – Yet Again – CHORUS

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Chord Progression

[‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘Dm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* E minor (iv)
* F major (VI) – borrowed from A minor
* A minor (i)
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* G major (VII)
* B flat Major (bII) – Neapolitan chord
* D minor (iv) – borrowed from F major

Similar Chord Progressions

1. “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead features a chromatic shift similar to the G-Bb modulation in Grizzly Bear’s song. The progression goes: Cm – Eb – Ab – G. Their frequent use of borrowed chords and unexpected modulations is a hallmark of their style.

2. Another song that similarly employs the Neapolitan chord is “Because” by The Beatles. The song modulates from C#m to D, which gives it its distinct sound. The progression is: C#m – D – Amaj7.

3. “Life In Technicolor ii” by Coldplay also uses a chorus that modulates in a similar way to “Yet Again.” The progression is: Em – D – C – Bm – D, giving it a similar feel and sense of resolution.

(Note: The song’s actual chord progression names may vary due to different interpretations and transcriptions by different musicians).

Musical Analysis

The chorus of “Yet Again” has a high use of borrowed chords from the parallel major (F major) which adds a unique, unexpected element, providing the shiftiness that characterizes this song. The song also positions the Neapolitan chord (bII, Bb major in the key of A minor), which is an unusual but effective chord, creating tension before resolution.

Overall Analysis

The modality of the song “Yet Again” by Grizzly Bear is primarily in A minor, which makes it a piece in the minor modality. This song uses several traditional progression elements, but intermixes them with unexpected changes, especially the shift from E minor to F major, and the chromatic shift from G major to B flat major.

Style Analysis

Grizzly Bear notably employs modal mixture and chromaticism in “Yet Again”, borrowing chords from parallel keys to inject a sense of unpredictability. The band’s style is eclectic, often flirting with elements of psychedelic folk, indie rock and chamber pop.

Chords in the Chorus section of Yet Again by Grizzly Bear are:

[‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘Em’, ‘F’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘G’, ‘Bb’, ‘Dm’]