Raised on cashews and cocktails in Boston by an elementary school music teacher, Edward Drosté grew up surrounded by music, prompting him to take up various instruments and write his own songs at an early age. After years of singing in circles, he discovered the joys of home recording and proceeded to use whatever he could get his hands on to make new sounds, capturing it all on a small hand held tape recorder.
During a long fifteen-month hibernation in his cozy Greenpoint, Brooklyn bedroom, Drosté laid the groundwork for Grizzly Bear's first album. Upon completion of this "demo", Drosté enlisted the help of Christopher Bear (last name entirely coincidental), who breathed new life and sounds to the work. Hailing from Chicago, Bear has worked in various musical projects ranging from laptop shenanigans to free jazz. He has provided a vast technical knowledge, a certain sonic polishing, as well as additional instruments and vocals to the initially primitive recordings.
The result, Grizzly Bear's debut album titled Horn of Plenty, is a nostalgic amalgamation of found sounds and layered vocals bound to thrill followers of Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, and Nick Drake. It represents the combined influences of Bear's affinity for older classics such as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Arthur Russell mixed with Drosté's more contemporary tastes.
Grizzly Bear's music started out as a pet project of Drosté's meant only for friends, but it has taken on a life of its own, circulating widely. In the past year, Grizzly Bear has been spreading their gospel as a live act all over the USA with the additions of Chris Taylor and Daniel Rossen to the group.
Playing reeds and electronics, Taylor's talents have lured Grizzly Bear out of hibernation and into the world as a living, breathing animal. Mr. Rossen, on the other hand, has enriched the group with his new compositions and thrashing solos. Since the nationwide tour, both have become key members of the group, working steadily on new material for the next album. With four voices, guitar, clarinet, percussion, and colorful effects, Grizzly Bear's live sound maintains the dreamy, subdued qualities of Horn of Plenty, yet explores a more electric and psychedelic path, leading to a dynamic and mesmerizing concert experience.
Horn of Plenty is released with a free bonus disc containing brand new remixes by Soft Pink Truth, DNTEL (Postal Service), Final Fantasy, Ariel Pink, The Castanets, Safety Scissors, Efterklang and many other Grizzly Bear fans who all wanted to contribute simply because they found the album adorable.
