Department Of Eagles

Department Of Eagles are two old roommates from New York University, who upon graduation followed very different career paths.

Daniel Rossen toured and sold millions of albums with Grizzly Bear, whilst Fred nicolaus worked as an editor for a real estate publication. Despite spending years apart, separated by both distance and lifestyle, they are now prepared to release an album of mixed up beats, indie seams, hip-hop and many textures aside that has been four years in the making - and Fred’s rather relieved
about the whole thing.

You know it's going to be something special

“There was a long line of points when i didn’t think this album would be finished. honestly if you asked me a year ago if this album was going to happen i would’ve flatout said no. some albums come out easy and some albums are long pregnant ones which are very difficult to release and this album was definitely that. it was like putting together this big thing out of small chunks of Lego over a long period of time.” The process was emailing each other musical ideas and developments, and to do this Daniel had to take his rare and treasured days off tour trying to create new work whilst Fred told his city bosses he was working from home as he secretly recorded vocals.
“I’m so proud to have finished this album now,” Fred relates. “it’s a lot more mature than our first album (‘The Cold nose’). Daniel wrote his parts as his father was passing away and i think that effected him. it made him a lot more serious about his songwriting, while i feel that i was mourning the loss of my childhood. To be honest the fact i’m only twenty-six-years old probably shows i’m a sad old bastard but i love the personality of this album.” When asked where such young musicians, already so world weary can go next, nicolaus lightens up and says he’d like to go full circle and concetrate on “retarded party music”. having just completed an album so thought out and protracted as ‘in ear Park’, however, the chances of this seem slim.

The alumni collaboration originally took work of an obscure Belgian installation artist, marcel Broodthaers, and take their musical composition just as seriously as their passion for art history. Their layered flowing melodies are at times as pretty as those of Tv on The radio, while on some tracks such as the single ‘no one Does it Like You’ the Grizzly Bear connection is in full effect.

Concetrate on “retarded party music"

Department of eagles are now looking to take their show live for the first time, and are not afraid to be criticised for using their links with Grizzly Bear to full effect. “We might do something with Chris Bear and Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear. It’s hard with our connection with them as people just expect it but those two guys are really good friends of ours. it’s one of those lucky situations when the best people for the job happen to be people you know.” With friends like these helping out you know it’s going to be some-
thing special.