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Monday, November 26th, 2007

Fall/Winter and Year’s End Best-of

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Hello, creatures of the fall. Our touring has ceased; we are taking a lovely break—each working on new material, which we are excited about. Touring with our favorites Beach House (download “Saltwater” mp3) this fall and playing Iceland Airwaves were both incredible experiences, topped off by what was definitely our favorite hometown show ever, at the Society For Ethical Culture. We were so honored and excited that Paul Simon came, so Dan and Chris Bear did their cover of “Graceland” (download) for him, which they normally don’t do live.

The Friend EP came out, and the response has been so amazing—surprisingly so, actually. Thanks to everyone who went out and got it. It’s a funny and strange EP, but we had a great time making it. Naturally NME hated it and said the only thing good about it was the CSS cover, but considering how little credibility they have these days, we took it as a compliment!

I (Ed) turned 29 in late October and had a bowling birthday party, which was tons of fun. I didn’t realize it until midway through the festivities, but I had a bowling birthday party when I was 11. I guess everything comes full circle. Just like plaid flannels, huh?

For a good year I’d been pestering my band-mate Daniel to do a cover of the ridiculously cheesy (but might I add very catchy) Jo Jo track “Too Little Too Late.” At first I was bribing him with an old iPod, but no dice. He wasn’t having it. Finally, actually over a year from when I first asked him to, he decided to surprise me and give me a cover of the song for my birthday. He had remembered I wanted him to sing it very seriously, as if he really meant all those lyrics (which, if you know the song, is really hilarious) and he did, and what happened? Well, everyone who has heard it can’t even believe it’s the same song. He turned something so auto-tuned and trite into a really great song. I’ve been listening on repeat. Hopefully you’ll enjoy! Here it is:

Download audio file (toolittle.mp3)

Download Daniel Rossen – Too Little Too Late [Jo Jo Cover]

I’m low on pictures on this post. In fact I’m not going to post any, but I’m going to keep the MP3 flow alive and healthy. We’ve been working on a track with Feist for a yet-to-be-announced compilation, and it’s gotten me into relistening to her albums, and I chanced upon this really great alternative version of her song (my favorite) “Intuition.” As I do with almost every song I love, I’ve been playing it on a repeat as well.

Download audio file (intuition.mp3)

Download Feist – Intuition

Thanksgiving was great. Chad cooked an enormous turkey. We had some friends over. I made brussel sprouts and pancetta, which is my favorite dish ever. I can’t even believe I ever used to hate brussel sprouts as a kid. Someone told me the reason kids don’t like strong flavors like blue cheese or brussel sprouts is because their taste buds are too sensitive and the flavor is its true strength and not tasty. As you grow older, your tastebuds die or become less sensitive (this is all hearsay, mind you) and so you can handle those flavors. I also used to hate tomatoes, too, and now I can eat an heirloom tomato like an apple. Thank god, my taste buds dulled. That’s all I have to say to that.

Bradford Cox from Deerhunter has been in town doing press for his new solo project Atlas Sound. A few nights ago, he played me tracks from the follow-up to this album, which he is already halfway done writing and recording (dude is prolific), and I was already swooning for this January /February release of Atlas Sound’s debut, but the new stuff takes it even further. Not to be a tease, but get excited even if you have to wait a year. It’s incredible stuff. Perfect fall/winter music.

A artist by the name of James Rutledge from the UK wrote us recently to let us know he did a remix of our DNTEL track “To a Fault,”  which is always fun to hear. To listen download the track here! Thanks, James.

Download audio file (toafault.mp3)

Download DNTEL – To a Fault [James Rutledge Remix]

Anyhow, I’m getting ready to go to a wedding of one of my best friends in California. I guess that’s life in the late 20s. Marriage first, babies next?

Hope everyone is having a lovely fall and winter and holiday season. We are excited about recording the new album. Promise no alternative takes or remixes. All. New. Stuff.

XOXO

P.S. Here is my year’s end list of my favorite fiften albums of 2007. Everyone is doing it, so I figure why not? Cheers!

  1. Dirty Projectors – Rise Above
  2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
  3. Deerhunter – Florescent Grey EP/Cryptograms
  4. Cass McCombs – Dropping the Writ
  5. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer
  6. Foreign Born- On a Wing Now
  7. Feist – The Reminder
  8. Vampire Weekend – Blue CDR
  9. Beirut – Flying Club Cup
  10. Papercuts- Can’t Go Back
  11. Justice – †
  12. Sleeping States – There the Open Spaces
  13. Róisín Murphy – Overpowered
  14. PJ Harvey – White Chalk
  15. Yeasayer – All Hours Cymbals

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About Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear released Yellow House in 2006. It was a slow, steady and stunning ride—boundless in scope and elegance. Given the album's otherworldly charm and staying power, it's hard to believe three years have gone by.

That might seem like a long time. But given Grizzly Bear's hectic touring schedule, including stints with Radiohead, TV On The Radio and Feist—as well as several performances during a five-night tribute to Paul Simon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a co-headlining show with the L.A. Philharmonic, and the release of Friend, a 10-song EP of re-recorded and re-worked songs, collaborations and covers—all of this seems very reasonable. They've been busy.

But about a year ago, singer/songwriter Ed Droste, drummer Christopher Bear, bassist Chris Taylor and singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen —whose other band, Department of Eagles, released the sublime In Ear Park last fall—began passing demos around and working together creatively in different pairs and permutations. A few months later, blessed with producer/engineer Chris Taylor's willingness to transport his recording equipment, they began the recording process for Veckatimest, which would unfold over the next six months in three very singular locations. And in many ways, it is the recording process that reveals this record—each space catalyzing different interactions, inspirations, and ultimately, songs.

In July, the band spent three weeks at the Glen Tonche house in upstate New York. The beauty, mystery and surrealistic feel to the estate made anything seem do-able, possible and even magical. Though still finding their feet, much of the album's groundwork was laid there. After breaking briefly for the Radiohead tour in August, the band convened at a house on Cape Cod (graciously provided by Droste's grandmother) where they re-addressed and solidified the compositions they'd started at Glen Tonche. Lastly, Grizzly Bear came home, to a church in NYC, to fine-tune and complete the album—named Veckatimest, after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name. Following initial mixes by Chris Taylor, the band brought Gareth Jones (Interpol, Liars) over from England for a final mixing session with Taylor. The album was then mastered by Greg Calbi. Artist William O'Brien created Veckatimest's colorful, hand drawn artwork—a perfect compliment to the album's enigmatic title.

There is an unbelievable clarity of sound and vision to Veckatimest: vocals (a duty now shared by all band members) are sharper and more complex, arrangements are tighter, production is more venturous and lyrics more affecting. Having opened the creative dialogue at such an early stage, Grizzly Bear was able to realize these 12 songs together as a band, making it their most collaboratively compositional album to date. Taylor's artistry as a producer and engineer has only gotten stronger, both Rossen and Droste's conviction as singers and lyricists has swelled, and Bear's authority behind the drums is striking.

This yielded an unexpected mix of material that feels more confidant, mature, focused—and most of all, dynamic. From songs like "Dory" (a gracefully psychedelic, ever-evolving work),"Ready, Able" (a synth-y opus, and one of four songs that boasts string arrangements by composer Nico Muhly) and "Foreground" (a plaintive, vocal-driven send-off, and one of two songs to feature choral arrangements also by Muhly) to more resounding pop songs like "Two Weeks" (an other-worldly doo wop featuring backing vocals from Beach House's Victoria LeGrand) and "While You Wait For the Others" (a triumphant and melodically cacophonous pop masterpiece), Veckatimest is an album of the highest highs and lowest lows—an unbelievably diverse collection of songs that celebrates the strength of each band member, and the power of the whole. It was well worth the wait.

Photos of Grizzly Bear

  • Press photo of Grizzly Bear Dwnld hi-res JPG ↓
  • Press photo of Grizzly Bear Dwnld hi-res JPG ↓
  • Press photo of Grizzly Bear Dwnld hi-res JPG ↓
Photos by Tom Hines.
Art by William O'Brien. Photos by Tom Hines.