deep sea divers

Grizzly Bear began as a home recording project of Ed Droste. But soon it took on a life of its own and has now blossomed to four. I could easily namedrop Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, Nick Drake, Earlies, Syd Barrett, Pet Sounds, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Jim O'Rourke, Unicorns, Super Furry Animals and the Castanets. Just don't call them another progression of the same tired Nu York formula of freakdom.

A recent live performance wheezed a warm breath into a cold room. Autoharp, handclaps, woodwinds, electronics, strings and more all mixed in perfectly with a more traditional set-up, leaving plenty of space for the sounds to have a shape of their own yet combining for something strangely magical. Songs shift, evaporate, coalesce. A hazy dreamlike state shrouds everything. The limitations of the recording become its intimacies and draw you into its world.

A recent remix CD of their recordings has appeared with the talents of Tim Sweeney of DFA, Castanets, Soft Pink Truth, Ariel Pink, The Double, Efterklang, Hisham Bharoocha, Simon Bookish, Solex, and more. Do yourself a favor and grab their album from Kanine.

Grizzly Bear - Don't Ask
Grizzly Bear - A Good Place
Grizzly Bear - Owner of a Lonely Heart