Bands come in all shapes and sizes. There are big bands, small bands, brass bands, metal bands, bands whose members met in high school and bands whose members met on TV. And then there’s Bear Colony, a self-referential “patchwork artistic collective” hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas. This band by any other name, which features a rotating membership of anywhere from 6 to 12 people with 5 of them permanent, has just released their second album, Soft Eyes . With the impassioned yet defeated vocals, the cryptic and delicate lyrics, and instrumentals that strike the perfect balance of [...]
The end of 2012 is fast approaching and the 'best of' posts and playlists are already in the works. But there are still six weeks left in the year and some of the most anticipated new albums of the year dropped this week, among them Sufjan Stevens' newest addition to his Christmas albums collection, Silver [...] Read more, get songs or stream the entire mix on Indie Rock Cafe
Some bands try to keep things short, simple, stripped and direct. Not Arkansas music amalgam Bear Colony . Sophomore indie album Soft Eyes (November 13, Esperanza Plantation) is one densely layered, headspinning mash-up of styles and atmospherics: imaginative art/rock, big-melodied pop, grandiose post-rock instrumentalism topped off with dark dollop of unpretentious proggy touches. The recent passing of frontman Vincent Griffin's mother after a battle with cancer serves as the sobering inspiration for Soft Eyes' thematic direction, thirteen songs and instrumental bridges that dig beneath the emotional surface for reflection and, ultimately, [...]
Tomorrow, Little Rock's Bear Colony will be releasing their new full-length Soft Eyes via Esperanza Plantation . The album is the band's first collection of new material in five years since their breakthrough debut We Came Here to Die . This release finds the band moving forward with more polished song construction and lusher soundscapes. Much of the inspiration for this record came from founder and vocalist Vincent Griffin's struggle and subsequent death from terminal lung cancer this past September. [...]
Listening: 1. Bear Colony : This Arkansas collective are returning this month with their lastest effort Soft Eyes. Listen to : Flask Retort ( mp3 ) 2. The Pharmacy : My favorite Seattle band returns this month with Stoned & Alone. Listen to : Make Me Remember 3. West End Motel : This is the side project of Brent Hinds of Mastodon. Listen to : Only Time can Tell Reading: 1. Answers by Ben [...]
Every day, Daily Downloads offers 10 free and legal mp3 downloads, plus free and legal live sets from around the internet. Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Audrey Rose : free and legal Smoke EP [mp3] search for more Audrey Rose posts at Largehearted Boy Bear Colony : "Flask Retort" [mp3] from Soft Eyes (out November 13th) [...]
Having abjectly failed to regain control of our In-box since returning from holiday, we are still working our way through a sackful of new bands, new albums, new singles, new tracks, new demos and everything in-between. So with apologies for the delay in posting some of these, here is one awesome round-up of stuff that has caught our ears, our imagination, or, best of all, both. First up is Terrible Beauty a track of swirling hypnotic texture-pop from the Daymoths upcoming sophomore album, a We [...]
Here's why I decided to reclaim my glorious WordPress: I was just starting to get good at it when I stopped blogging. Another thing: Upon perusing my iPod, which has a different music selection from my external hard drive, I came across the song "Sharks" by Bear Colony, and it hit my belly in an entirely nostalgic way. I remembered the way that this blog tracked my growth from adolescence to adulthood. Although I am still rather immature, you readers have watched me grow up, have grown up with me, given me support, and I want to give something [...]
:: Danish Graceland . Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. :: Some bits of the score for This Must Be the Place - which features the work David Byrne and Will Oldham - are starting to trickle out . :: Hot rod vinyl presses . Hells yes! :: Aw shucks, Radiohead isn't hiding King of Limbs, Part II in some super secret Get Smart vault after all. Not even in the cone of silence. Not [...]
Sure, people talk about how amazing New York, Chicago, Austin and the like are. But that's easy. When a city is big, of course there will be cool stuff - because there are lots of people there. What about when a city isn't some huge metropolis and cultural center, but it somehow finds a way to be awesome? That's why we're on the scene. This week, Vince Griffin of Bear Colony gives us some insight into what's hopping and popping with the hepcats in Little Rock, Ark. What [...]
Arkansan collective Bear Colony has been supplying us with a bevvy of videos previewing a new album on Facebook, which have culminated one last three-minute clip that showcases the recording process and the new songs. As if all the videos Bear Colony has been posting aren't enough, you can also listen to a preview of the new material via Soundcloud. Bear Colony new album preview by Bear Colony
:: What will Interpol do now that bassist Carlos Dengler has left the band ? Oh yeah, keep putting me to sleep. Yeah, I said it. :: That new Strokes record all the kids are clamoring about should be hitting stores this January . Sorry Liam, no word yet on whether it will contain any " proper tunes ." :: Looks like perennial DIYers Plan-It-X Records won't be doing anything themselves soon, since they'll closing up shop . :: If you had to guess who played to [...]
:: Les Paul 's body will be laid to rest in Wilwaukee, Wis., this Friday . :: R.E.M. is releasing a live album with 39 songs on it. That's about 35 more than they needs. Nah, I'm kidding. Those kids are alright. They're a good up-and-coming band. You'll probably see some good things from these dudes in the future. :: The new Living Sacrifice album is going to be out in November . Overrated or underrated? It's strange when you can legitimately wonder about that on both [...]
Bear Colony is currently in the process of recording a new album with our boy Matt Putman at the board, or computer screen and keyboard, or two-inch reel-to-reel rig, or microcassette recorder, or Mario Paint with the little goombas and mushrooms on the treble clef. Either way, the Bear Colony folks are streaming the process on Stickam to give interested parties a little glimpse into the creative process - and to moon people (I'm assuming, anyway). Just make sure it goes as quickly as possible guys. I want [...]
Chase Pagan has a new album, Bells & Whistles , out June 9 on Esperanza Plantation . In addition, Chase has been sweet enough to take over Buzzgrinder for the day. That's right, lazy day watching our stories for the Buzzgrinder staff. Bear Colony just announced a tour with mewithoutYou ! If you're unfamiliar, Bear Colony is a music collective featuring the following members: ♥ Vince Griffin ♥ Brooks Tipton [...]
Hey, so I'm a day late...but certainly not a dollar short. But take what you can get man. Let's get this going, because I'm about to get to doing something...WOOAWESOME. Alright, first off is the new single off Common's new album, "Universal Mind Control." I usually don't dig on his stuff, but this has that old Afrika Bambaataa flavor that makes me oh so happy. So here, is the titular track...
C'mon, y'all: Help a bouncer out. Please. For Beard. Weekend's here. Stuff's happening. You should go. Enough pleasantries. The show's we already told you about... All weekend long, you can catch the Beach Boys show at the Meyerson Center . Tonight, there's Mudhoney at the Granada , the Wye Oak/Brickfight/Nouns Group show at the Chat Room Pub , the Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights/We Are Villains gig at Hailey's , and the [...]
Illustration by Jason Sho Green 'Bears are crazy. They'll bite your head if you're wearing a steak on it.' -> Space Ghost * Bearsuit - Itsuko Got Married * * Seabear - Singing Arc * * Panda Bear - Ponytail * * Message to Bears - Plane Over Evening Sky * * Golden Bear - Galaxy Queen * * Grizzly Bear - While [...]
Artist: Bear Colony Album: We Came Here To Die Genre: Indie Rock, Electronica Origin: Arkansas, United States Year: 2007 Myspace: www.myspace.com/bearcolony Pixel Pyro's Rating : 8/10 Bear Colony is a music project consisting of many artists and was original created by Vince Griffin [...]
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