Brooklyn’s Department of Eagles showed their youth only between songs during their Friday night performance at Mershon Auditorium. Even though the band members weren’t always sure what to say while switching and tuning instruments, the band sounded fantastic playing Columbus’ best venue.
The band recently released their second LP “In Ear Park,” a collection of layered, nostalgic songs with soft melodies that has appeared on a number of “Best of 2008” lists. Formed by former NYU roommates Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicolaus, the band released its second album amid a rather busy time for primary vocalist Rossen. Many know Rossen as songwriter, guitarist and vocalist for Grizzly Bear, who spent their year headlining a tour, playing Lollapalooza, and putting recording plans on hold to tour as a supporting act for Radiohead.
Though Rossen is now a seasoned veteran of the road, Nicolaus is still getting used to playing in front of the large crowds they’ll likely continue to draw. Rossen and Nicolaus are joined by Grizzly Bear drummer Christopher Bear, as well as new touring bass player, Columbus’ own Matthew Million. The band made light of their situation via self-deprecation, acknowledging their awkward transitions.
Musically speaking, Department of Eagles does not sound like a group still getting a feel for one another. Each member lends a high level of musicianship to the songs, which often sound different from their studio recordings. In an interview in The Village Voice, Rossen called DOE’s live show more stripped-down and simplified, and claimed to enjoy the challenge of translating the intricate textures and embellishments he and Nicolaus created in the studio.
Only about half of the band’s set list came from “In Ear Park.” The band gave fans a generous taste of what’s to come, playing a handful of new songs that feature Rossen experimenting with recording and looping his own voice, creating a choir-like harmonious effect. Another of the band’s strengths is their diversity: in their brief 11 song set, the band shifted gears on multiple occasions, at one point stripping down to just Rossen on banjo and Nicolaus on acoustic guitar, playing their album’s eerie-yet-beautiful closer, “Balmy Night.”
In what turned out to be a rather endearing goof, the band botched their encore, neglecting to mention they were playing their “last song,” and never really leaving the stage. Rossen explained their intention, so the crowd cheered as though they’d left for a brief moment before Rossen played another new song in which he looped his voice into a seven-part harmony. Sadly though, the fans then wanted a real encore that didn’t come.
It’s probably safe to say that Nicolaus isn’t missing his day job. Rossen meanwhile, is gearing up for an even bigger year than 2008. The success of Department of Eagles and the continued success Grizzly Bear, as they ready their follow-up to 2006’s “Yellow House” for release this spring, has Rossen primed for the indie rock pedestal.
