With the success of an indie band as important as Grizzly Bear, of course there will be younger bands taking cues from their sound. As Trey has posted before this, Gamble House lifts the lazy, wandering sounds of Grizzly Bear. In a similar vein, The Morning Benders take inspiration from Department of Eagles, a side project of Daniel Rossen from Grizzly Bear.
More on my favorite band Grizzly Bear to come in a later post.
The Morning Benders - Promises
- Ryan
If you know me, you know my favorite band is Grizzly Bear, so I’m saying a lot about them today. They’ve been featured everywhere — so if you haven’t heard the pianos of “Two Weeks” in commercials by now or noticed that they’ve been on the New Moon soundtrack (which in their defense, features other great artists), then count yourself among the fortunate few that avoids the mainstream. If you haven’t heard of them at all, then that is in fact a problem.
Grizzly Bear was just primary singer/songwriter Ed Droste when he dropped Horn of Plenty in 2004. Rounding out to a four-piece band after that — one of those members being co-singer/songwriter Daniel Rossen of Department of Eagles, the band started getting truly amazing with the release of Yellow House. Yellow House was named after the literal yellow house that they recorded. Their third album, Veckatimest, was similarly named after Veckatimest Island in Massachusetts where they recorded, and features the biggest indie single of 2009, “Two Weeks.” These albums sound like an indie rock mini-orchestra, with all of the members capable of playing a variety of instruments.
The interesting thing is the contrast of the two songwriters. Ed’s songs are usually more straightforward and to the point (“Knife”, “Fix It”) while Daniel’s songs are epic and climaxing (“Southern Point”, “On a Neck, On A Spit”). Yet, both styles have a place on their albums.
Grizzly Bear - Lullabye (Rossen)
- Ryan
Grizzly Bear started off as a one-man project of Ed Droste, as you may or may not know. He used to mix everything himself with this really lo-fi sound and while it’s far from the sounds of “Two Weeks” it’s still pretty good.
- Ryan (by the way, I have my top 10 coming soon, starting with an additional 10 that didn’t make it)
Department of Eagles - No One Does It Like You
- Ryan
Two of my favorite singer/songwriters did a collab. Gold. Pure gold.
This comes from a status update on the Fleet Foxes Facebook page that Robin personally updates:
Hi, Robin here. I recorded three songs in LA a couple weeks ago with my friend Noah. One is a new song that’s a duet with my buddy Ed Droste from the amazing band Grizzly Bear, one is a solo new song, and one is a cover. Hope you enjoy! Here’s the link to download http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MNB143XT
Robin Pecknold - I’m Losing Myself (Feat. Ed Droste)
- Ryan
CANT - Believe
CANT is the experimental indie/R&B/slow jam project of Chris Taylor (from Grizzly Bear). Yes, it’s good.
- Ryan
Source: SoundCloud / SmilingEars
And this is an amazing cover/mashup by Kimbra (who is also very easy on the eyes).
Kimbra - Two Weeks/Head over Heels
- Ryan
Photos taken by a Jennifer Mawyer via iPhone 4S.
Let me first start by saying that I’m glad I’m getting back into the swing of things… just saw Grizzly Bear, ASAP Rocky, and plan to see Minus the Bear and Sleigh Bells pretty soon.
Now, if you know me, this next sentence might not come to you as a surprise. Grizzly Bear is (still) the best live band I’ve ever seen. I don’t mean that in a subjective, “I just really love them” way either. I might even put them on par with Sufjan had I seen him live, but I’ll leave that call for Shannon or Trey to make.
First, a word on the venue. 9:30 Club’s my favorite place to see shows. The acoustics are great, there’s really no bad spot to stand, and it’s in the nation’s capital, which just so happens to double as one of the best cities in America. The crowd last night was fun too, with people actually moving instead of just doing the “jaded hipster” stare with arms folded. At one point, a guy was so moved but calmly stated, “Great work gentlemen” much to the gratitude of Ed Droste and co.
This is Grizzly Bear’s Shields tour, so the setlist was heavy on Shields…but every song delivered. And this is a comment I always make to people: Grizzly Bear’s sound really can’t be contained on an LP or CD, it has to be heard live. See, on the albums, there is a tendency for things to sound small and flat. But there is just a certain atmosphere to these songs that you get when you go to a show—sounds fill the entire room and everything sounds huge. “Lullabye” sounded so massive. The old crowd favorite “Knife” sent chills down my spine with Chris Taylor doing his vocal effects while the rest of the band harmonized.
The other key aspect to a Grizzly Bear show is that every member of the band plays multiple instruments - often switching out instruments during a song. It’s quite a rush just to see that level of dedication. With the band so focused on their instruments, it might not translate into a “theatrical” stage presence but the music most certainly speaks for itself. On that note, everyone was in love with Grizzly Bear’s light show that consisted of several lanterns surrounding the band that rose and fell as the night went on.
If you get a chance to see Grizzly Bear live, take it, no matter the circumstances.
- Ryan
I’m putting in an early bid for the top albums this year. There is virtually no influence from any other publications… meaning, whatever Pitchfork or whoever decides is going to be their top albums, I have no idea. This is just my opinion.
NOTE, the album title links open up Spotify, and there is one huge “best of 2012” playlist with all of these albums at the end. Or click here for it.
Yes, that is the album title, and Fiona’s first album in 7 years. I was never a huge fan of her stuff, but this album made me take notice. She shows up all the women in indie with this one. Strong voice, strong lyrics, what more can you want. LISTEN: Every Single Night, Daredevil, Jonathan, Werewolf
Hot Chip have been in the game for a long time and it shows. They’ve matured their sound and put out the best indie dance record of the year. More dance bands should take note, because songwriting is usually not the strong point of a dance album, but on In Our Heads, it is. LISTEN: Motion Sickness, How Do You Do?, Look At Where We Are, Now There is Nothing
I’ll admit, I was a little worried when Bloom’s first single “Myth” came out; I felt like they had taken a huge step back from their last album, Teen Dream. But that’s Beach House for you. They never try to impress us, they just do their thing and do it well. In a sense, they always just slightly tweak their main sound from album to album… they never go for a radical change, and they know this approach works best for them. Every album of theirs has grown on me and Bloom is no different. LISTEN: Lazuli, Other People, Troublemaker, and Equal Mind (found on the b-side of Lazuli)
This was a tough album to put all the way down at #7, if you know me. The early singles “Sleeping Ute” and “Yet Again” showed promise, but when I heard the whole album I was disappointed. Shields sounds like a mix of Yellow House and Veckatimest, but nowhere nearly as good as those two albums. Grizzly Bear’s still my favorite band though (their live show is still amazing), and this album still deserves a top spot, just barely nudging past Beach House’s album. LISTEN: Sleeping Ute, Yet Again, The Hunt, Gun-Shy
6. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
This album right here though nig…
This album came out of nowhere for me. I hadn’t heard of it until recently but now that I have, I can’t put it down. Father John Misty is Josh Tillman, better known as the ex-drummer of Fleet Foxes. And if you like Fleet Foxes, there’s a lot to love here. Great melodies, a classic sound, and some bold lyrics about drugs (you can tell he really lives this folk shit, none of that plain rice shit you hear on the radio), Fear Fun unexpectedly jumped up high on my list.
I suspect this one is going to raise a few eyebrows for me putting it top 5 (actually, my friend raises an eyebrow just because I listen to a band called Purity Ring) but I don’t really care because it knocks so hard. The formula is basically female vocals + bass heavy beats (listen to this fucking album with subs) with a witch house vibe to it, but without being sketch as fuck like witch house. Now, I have been listening to this one for a while, and it hasn’t gotten old for me yet. I want to direct some of the attention away from Grimes and throw it on Purity Ring. LISTEN: Crawlersout, Fineshrine, Ungirthed, Amenamy, Saltkin, Obedear, Lofticries
Baroness is the type of band whose shirt I could be wearing, it get “Instagrammed,” not even be the main focus of the photo and have someone comment saying, “Fuck yeah for the Baroness shirt.” That’s a random example but I just like to point it out because it actually happened.
Anyway, Yellow & Green is a double album by the metal band Baroness and it made a lot of “real metal~” fans upset because the majority of Yellow & Green sounds more like alternative rock/indie music than heavy metal. Which, to people like me who don’t only like metal, isn’t a bad thing at all. I respect that they’re maturing and not trying to put out the same old metal shit every single time. LISTEN: MTNS. (The Crown & Anchor), Board Up The House, Little Things, Cocainum.
This album is mindblowing. It could have easily been my #1 if these next two records hadn’t been released. They’re not trying anything out of the ordinary either. This is just psychedelic indie rock inspired by the 60’s and 70’s, but they make it sound so effortless. And even though they make drug music, you don’t have to be on drugs to like it— the album just takes you “there.” I also like the theme of “lonerism” here, with songs like “Music to Walk Home By” and “Why Won’t They Talk To Me” you feel that outcast vibe on the album. The extended jams (if you like songs that go on past 5 minutes, this album is for you—I LOVE that shit), the bass grooves, the Pink Floyd - “Money” influence in the song “Elephant”…there’s a lot to love about to this album. LISTEN: Apocalypse Dreams, Mind Mischief, Music To Walk Home By, Why Won’t They Talk To Me, Keep On Lying, Elephant
2. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
Andrew Bird. This is a dude that gets overshadowed by Sufjan Stevens a lot, and their sounds are pretty similar. But yeah… if your “sounds like” is Sufjan Stevens, chances are you’re a great artist, and Bird is. Also, this is another difference between a band like The Lumineers and a great artist like Andrew Bird. The Lumineers has a song that goes “I belong with you, you belong with me, whoa ohhaaahh.” Andrew Bird on the other hand, doesn’t settle for that kind of patty-cake bullshit lyrics. Not a weak song on this album either, I could recommend it all. LISTEN: Desperation Breeds?, Danse Carribe, Give It Away, Eyeoneye, Near Death Experience Experience, Fatal Shore
1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
I don’t think this nomination should come as a surprise to anyone, because when it came out I let everyone know how dope it was for at least two weeks straight. I think of it as an instant classic.
A lot has already been said about what makes this album so amazing: great flows, the song versatility, the whole storyline and the skits that give the album the “short film” feel that Kendrick was aiming for, the sampling of both Beach House and Twin Sister (on songs “Money Trees” and “The Recipe,” respectively), great guest spots, etc. so I won’t bore you with any of that. I will instead say that Kendrick had a vision for this album and he nailed it. This is a fully realized concept album that’s one of the best albums the rap genre has ever produced, and it wins out on all other “other genre” albums as the top album of 2012.
LISTEN: The whole album
What were YOUR top albums of 2012? Do you disagree with anything on my list? Am I crazy for putting Purity Ring at #5? Overrated the fuck out of Kendrick’s album? Does my taste in music flat out suck? Share your thoughts.
- Ryan
