Rossen excels as soloist

Carlos Sucre-Parra/Columnist

Carlos Sucre-Parra

Daniel Rossen, better known as one of the front men for the darling indie band Grizzly Bear, has always been a very prolific musician.

From his work as a guitarist with Grizzly Bear, to his side project Department of Eagles, to countless bootlegs and collaborations with other musicians (such as Chris Taylor’s “CANT” album released last year), there is always plenty of material from him that both delights fans, but also provides some insight as to how Grizzly Bear’s sound might evolve in their next record.

“Silent Hour/Golden Mile” is his first production released as a solo artist, and it provides some of the best pop songs I have listened to so far this year. From the simple structure and rhythm presented in “Up On High,” to much more complex yet appealing songs like “Golden Mile,” Rossen presents a brief yet very dense look into the next phase of his sound, and provides a very exciting prospect of what his future could be both as a solo artist and part of the Grizzly Bear collective.

Solo projects often branch out as an alternative for the artist to show their “own vision,” and in the case of lesser bands, it often serves as a precursor to the dismantling of the group, yet Rossen often utilizes his new sounds as the lab for new ways to contribute for the next Grizzly Bear project.

Whether it is home recordings that eventually turn into proper GB songs, or new melodic approaches and sharper lyrics, all of the band members, in general, tend to maintain proper side projects that help them further their common cause.

It is no surprise, in this case, how some of this material, in particular “Up On High,” with its simple structure and subtle crescendo, resembles previously released tracks, such as “Easier,” from their second album, “Yellow House.” This is not to say that the material or his creative input is growing stale, but rather demonstrates a certain willingness to play with the already-known strengths he possesses and refining them into more precise and well-crafted tunes. This is particularly obvious in “Silent Song,” a Cream via George Harrison-inspired tune that can only be defined as blissful rock and roll. The drumrolls and bouncing guitars, the uptick on the pace of his vocals and harmonization creates this pseudo-nostalgic feeling that captures the listener for its entire duration.

Some of the following tracks, such as “Return to Form,” further show his emphasis on experimentation. The fast guitar arpeggios, much like the ones often found in his Department of Eagles project, suggest some of this tracks could have been material left over from such endeavors and possible new takes on that particular approach to sound. Other tracks like“Saint Nothing” finally bring forward a well-circulated bootleg to its proper form. A simple piano-driven composition only enhanced by small nuances provided by strings showcase his vocal strength and sensibility for well-crafted chamber pop. This particular song, much like “Deep Blue Sea,” a previous creation of his, has gone through several iterations and takes, eventually landing in this clean, precise approach. “Deep Blue Sea,” on its part, first appeared as a home recording and later made its way to the Grizzly Bear EP, “Friend,” as well as in “Dark Was the Night,” a compilation made for charity. Rossen, ever the creative mind and driving force for his multiple projects, demonstrates a certain willingness to revisit past work and deconstruct it in order to learn more from it. Judging by the quality of this current material, one cannot help but feel excited for what is yet to come from this great musician.