Grizzly Bear Live Session on KCRW.com

KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" hosted Grizzly Bear recently in a live session and even though there's no video recording, it's still easy to get a sense of how this group collaborates with every song.  During an interview with co-songwriters Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen, KCRW Musical Director Jason Bentley called them "one of the most important bands out there."  It's hard to quibble with that, seeing how their album Shields is climbing all kinds of charts plus the group's lengthy cover story profile in New York Magazine. 

The members of Grizzly Bear (left to right):
Christopher Bear, Edward Droste, Daniel Rossen and Chris Taylor, photo courtesy of KCRW

The band began with "Sleeping Ute," the expansive composition which confidently serves the role of single for their new album.  Listening to the broadcast brings a new appreciation of how hard each individual musician is working to create their uniquely multi layered indie music. Each instrument has plenty of room to breathe within the arrangements and vocals seem more impassioned in their delivery. Next up was "Half Gate" without barely a pause, a song that builds into a frenzy of electronics until a final buzz.  Drum sticks counted off the beat for "Gun Shy," a laid back tune of intertwining melodies.

During the interview, it was revealed that there's actually quite a surplus of Grizzly Bear songs after allowing extra time between albums.  After solo projects by band members and much deserved downtime, Droste and Rossen showed up with demos to work together again.  Apparently, the group dynamic still reigns as evidenced by ample references of "synergy."

The chugging beat of "A Simple Answer" starts off the second set, with echoing backup vocals adding to the emotional weight of the song.  "Yet Again" concludes the session, with intro chords that sound more fluid than the produced version, allowing an easy approach right to the end.

Listen to the session on KCRW's website here.  Other sessions by Grizzly Bear exist in the archives as well for those who would like to check out their visits back in February 2008 or August 2009.