So yeah, it's been a while since I've posted. I've been spending a lot of time and writing a little over at Sterling's blog, Professional Americans (see link in sidebar). WILL THIS ELECTION SEASON EVER END???? Also- I've been in search of a new site to host mp3's for the Pretendo..... and somehow the planets have aligned! I've enjoyed the latest flurry of posts by Jacob and Sterling. Even though I always try to stay on top of all the latest releases, Jake (as long as I've known him) continues to hit me with bands I never saw coming. Thanks, brosef. As a side note- I've been considering doing a mini post on how everyone can post their own Pretendo players. Links are cool, but it's nice to have the music playing while you read.
I've been meaning to do a post on
Grizzly Bear for a while but then "In Ear Park", the latest by
Department of Eagles came out. Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicolaus, NYU roommates, formed DoE in 2001 a couple years before the former joined up with Ed Droste, Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear as Brooklyn's own
Grizzly Bear. (Daniel's involvement in both bands is reminiscent of Spencer Krug's finger-dipping in both
Wolf Parade and
Sunset Rubdown).
"In Ear Park" is layered, intricate and atmospheric ear candy. Some have compared it to Sgt. Pepper's or Pet Sounds, but I think that though equally ambtitious and baroque the comparisons stop there. Some songs feel very
Grizzly Bear, but there's a warmth and emotional complexity (like in "Floating on the Lehigh") on this album that would feel a little out of place on GB's "Horn of Plenty" or "Yellow House." (This song in particular reminds me a lot of some of Jim O'Rourke's solo work). The cover art is genius. Slip on some headphones, grab a flashlight and head out into the black forest.
Anyway, I'm in love with this album and I can't stop listening to it. It was tough choosing which tracks to feature on the Pretendo, so I put up 4 that showcase the different faces of "In Ear Park." Don't judge a track by its first minute or two, or you'll miss the great whistling and hand claps of "Around the Bay" and the crashing crescendos of "In Ear Park"! Some bands just sound better with some good headphones and DoE definitely fits that category. Hope you all had a great Halloween! Enjoy the tunes.
Below: Video for "Romo Goth" from their last album,
The Cold Nose
Back last month with their debut full length album Morning Tide, the Little Ones continue to sing songs and drive your feet into dancing fits (Uncle Lee's Rule of Feet) and summer feel good, even if it's Fall. So it's more like dancing on crisping leaves, kicking them in the air drinking a fine hot chocolate than bare feet on green grass or windows rolled down cruising to the ocean.
