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September 29, 2008

New Department Of Eagles - "1997" (New Song, Stereogum Premiere)

thumbnail icon: New Department Of Eagles - "1997" (New Song, Stereogum Premiere)

It took Grizzly Bear's Dan Rossen and his non-Grizzly songwriting partner Fred Nicolaus a good five years to sculpt their second full-length In Ear Park. With "1997," however, they're already one track into a third LP. So maybe there won't be such a long wait this time, all Dan has to do is finish recording the next Grizzly Bear album and not go on tour for like two years again. Here the duo set up in a DUMBO studio for a live take on a non-album cut, of a piece with previous singles "No One Does It Like You" and the new LP title track, fitting somewhere between them with the signature chord voicings that seem tailor made for a Lewis Carroll story, a typically great Dan vocal, and a touch of "On A Neck, On A Spit" to the bridge.

Dan's starting to make it look easy. That one isn't on the new album. These two are:

Department Of Eagles - "No One Does It Like You" (MP3)
Department Of Eagles - "In Ear Park" (MP3)

In Ear Park is out 10/7 via 4AD (vinyl's out 11/4). Dept. of Eagles will be playing this year's 826 Bookeaters Benefit show, alongside Paul Simon and appearances from Tunde Adibempe, Kyp Malone, Parker Posey, Ira Glass, Dave Eggars, and host John Oliver (The Daily Show). The band's first ever live performance is Monday 10/6 at the Bell House, which doubles as a record release show. And if all that's not enough, they'll be on Conan this Wednesday (day after tomorrow). Set your TiVOs.

We'll leave you with a performance of the album title track from the same DUMBO session:

Posted at 5:49 PM by amrit in ,
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27 Comments

meh, not impressive, i think his output or creativity in grizzly bear suffices enough, this guy's material is not as strong as his main group

people, save the environment by not wasting more paper and plastic (for cds etc) by not releasing every solo or side project - like that PBJ guy's solo release, another snoozer and meh like release

Posted by: gimme at 09/29/08 6:13 PM | Reply
Score = -10 Vote up Vote down
I PEE GOLD

This new song is beautiful. I really don't understand how Dan can manage to make the masterpiece which is that of "In Ear Park," then go and make another Grizzly Bear album that might come close to surpassing "Yellow House" ( I said might) from what I've heard.

Posted by: I PEE GOLD profile link at 09/29/08 6:45 PM | Reply
Score = 2 Vote up Vote down

when it comes to grizzly bear i much prefer Ed's voice, but this is really great.

Posted by: drab at 09/29/08 7:51 PM | Reply
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prob the best songwriter out there

Posted by: matthew at 09/29/08 7:54 PM | Reply
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this is really great. i mean, wow.

Posted by: regn at 09/29/08 8:18 PM | Reply
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Fuck the first poster. Let music be written from all, especially songs like this which doesn't instantly grab you. Songs which require attentiveness and multi-listenings may bore you, but how about challenging your brain a little more and finding out what Dan is really singing about.

Posted by: twas at 09/29/08 10:50 PM | Reply
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no fuck you twastwat, his music is NOT challenging, and I don't think multi-listenings will do it for me either, I guess I simply don't like his voice when it comes right down to it, oh well, to each his or her own, I do like that new Blitzen Trapper though, blitzes danny boy's compositions right out of the water, yeehaw

Posted by: gimme at 09/29/08 11:06 PM | Reply
Score = -8 Vote up Vote down
I PEE GOLD

NUB!!11

Posted by: I PEE GOLD profile link in reply to gimme's comment at 09/30/08 1:05 AM | Reply
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i can't even help being an admitted dan fanboy. he has such a wonderful voice and intruiging style. his guitar playing a chord choices make him one of the most original writers out there. his lyricism is incredible. the whole package. thats just him alone. grizzly bear is the whole deal, a fucking monster.

Posted by: william at 09/29/08 11:15 PM | Reply
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This and Grizzly Bear = snorefest

Posted by: Ace at 09/29/08 11:51 PM | Reply
Score = -15 Vote up Vote down

In Ear Park is definitely my album of the year so far, and jesus christ, this song is fucking incredible.

Posted by: Evan at 09/30/08 12:15 AM | Reply
Score = -1 Vote up Vote down
I PEE GOLD

Evan, your the master now.

Posted by: I PEE GOLD profile link in reply to Evan's comment at 09/30/08 12:32 AM | Reply
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they are playing on Conan, not Letterman.

Posted by: Brendan at 09/30/08 12:53 AM | Reply
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amrit

Sorry we heard it wrong -- it is in fact Conan. Fixed up.

Posted by: amrit profile link in reply to Brendan's comment at 09/30/08 8:50 AM | Reply
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Am i the only one who is a little disappointed by this new department of eagles stuff, i absolutely love the first record but they seem to have lost a lot of the all over the place madness of that stuff to make 'pretty' music instead...

Posted by: indigoguy at 09/30/08 5:24 AM | Reply
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ninteen ninety heaven

Posted by: sea at 09/30/08 8:10 AM | Reply
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nontraditional. great guitar effect, various parts, & song direction. i didn't get it at first, but yeah, i really like this one. weird bitterness coming from the singer.

Posted by: kris at 09/30/08 10:01 AM | Reply
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In Ear Park is amazing-- and I think it is RIGHT on par with Yellow House, maybe just slightly less crucial to me because it came 2nd. These boys were definitely meant to make music together (especially Dan and Chris Taylor who produced In Ear Park).

Anyone for a Chris Taylor//Atlas Sound masterpiece? Think about that.

Posted by: Caleb at 09/30/08 10:02 AM | Reply
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Dan needs to write more songs like "Floating on the Lehigh." All the unique elements that make up his 'sound' sure captures my attention. I'm just not hearing anyone writing songs like these.

Posted by: Wagons at 09/30/08 10:54 AM | Reply
Score = 2 Vote up Vote down

why do i keep hearing that this album has leaked, but i cant find a torrent for it anywhere? i'm still gonna buy when it comes out, but i need to hear it asap.

Posted by: Cojack at 09/30/08 2:38 PM | Reply
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it's on itunes, you best purchase this

Posted by: matthew at 09/30/08 7:31 PM | Reply
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I've never hated being Canadian more! in ear park has only been released on the US itunes store. shit.balls. I NEED THIS ALBUM!

Posted by: Cojack at 09/30/08 10:35 PM | Reply
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the album will be out everywhere on the 7th, and it will BLOW MINDS. i'm so pumped. i bought it on itunes yesterday and lost my mind. everything rossen touches turns to gold.

Posted by: jesse at 10/02/08 1:10 PM | Reply
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Look at StereoGum kissing this band's ass!
They're nothing special...just a Gorillaz/Peter Bjorn and John one album wonder.

StereoGum Sucks!

Posted by: Joe Biden at 10/02/08 10:49 PM | Reply
Score = -5 Vote up Vote down

The singer looks like a cross dressing turtle and the girl is fugly.

Posted by: W. at 10/02/08 11:02 PM | Reply
Score = -5 Vote up Vote down

amazing song, amazing album, great job!

Posted by: dan doe at 10/05/08 5:41 PM | Reply
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check out this great story about Department of Eagles here...
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2008/10/department-of-eagles-labor-of-love/

Posted by: brittney at 11/10/08 5:53 PM | Reply
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