Yellow House (album)
Encyclopedia
Yellow House is the second studio album by indie rock
band Grizzly Bear
, released on September 5, 2006 on Warp Records
. The album's title is in reference to vocalist Ed Droste
's mother's house where a majority of the recording took place. Droste and bandmate Chris Taylor
suggest that: "there is not really a theme with the lyrics but the theme of the album is us figuring out how to work together and recording in that house, which is what brought it together in that weird way."
The first single, "Knife," was only released on 7" picture disc vinyl with the exclusive B-side "Easier" (alternate edit) on May 21, 2007. A music video for "Knife" was produced by Encyclopedia Pictura in 2007. A music video for "Central and Remote," directed by Jesse Ewles, was also released in 2007.
In 2009 the Warp20 (Recreated)
compilation featured a cover of "Colorado" by Pivot
and "Little Brother" by Jamie Lidell
.
and Ed Droste
. "Marla" itself is actually a song written by Droste's great aunt, a failed musician. As he explained in an interview with Pitchfork Media
:
As Horn of Plenty
was a solo effort by Droste, this record is truly the band's "debut" as it features all members contributing to the writing and production of the album. Recordings took place throughout July 2006 in the house of Droste's mother on Cape Cod
in 2006.
's best albums of 2006 list, as well as a similarly high placement in the same list of the New York Times. The music webzine Tiny Mix Tapes
ranked Yellow House #7 on the Top 25 Albums of 2006. It currently holds a score of 79 at aggregate critic review site, MetaCritic
.
's bumps
. "On a Neck, On a Spit" was featured on The CW
show Reaper
.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear (band)
Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste , Daniel Rossen , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
, released on September 5, 2006 on Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
. The album's title is in reference to vocalist Ed Droste
Ed Droste
Edward "Ed" Droste is an original member of the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. The group began as the solo effort of Droste with the release of 2004's Horn of Plenty, originally released on Kanine Records. All songs were written and performed by Droste...
's mother's house where a majority of the recording took place. Droste and bandmate Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear musician)
Chris Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and producer best known for his role of bass player in the Brooklyn based indie folk group, Grizzly Bear.-Biography:...
suggest that: "there is not really a theme with the lyrics but the theme of the album is us figuring out how to work together and recording in that house, which is what brought it together in that weird way."
The first single, "Knife," was only released on 7" picture disc vinyl with the exclusive B-side "Easier" (alternate edit) on May 21, 2007. A music video for "Knife" was produced by Encyclopedia Pictura in 2007. A music video for "Central and Remote," directed by Jesse Ewles, was also released in 2007.
In 2009 the Warp20 (Recreated)
Warp20 (Recreated)
Warp20 is a compilation album released by Warp Records in 2009. It contains covers of Warp artists, such as Aphex Twin, LFO, Boards of Canada and Grizzly Bear by other Warp artists, such as Plaid, Autechre and Mira Calix.-Track listing:...
compilation featured a cover of "Colorado" by Pivot
Pivot (Australian band)
PVT is an experimental rock band based in London and Sydney.-About:PVT are a 3-piece band based in London and Sydney. They are currently signed to Warp Records. Band members are Richard Pike, Laurence Pike and Dave Miller...
and "Little Brother" by Jamie Lidell
Jamie Lidell
Jamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
.
Writing and recording process
Many of the demos for the album were what the band refers to as "sketches," done by mostly singer/guitarists Daniel RossenDaniel Rossen
Daniel Rossen is a singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. He is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles.-Biography:...
and Ed Droste
Ed Droste
Edward "Ed" Droste is an original member of the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. The group began as the solo effort of Droste with the release of 2004's Horn of Plenty, originally released on Kanine Records. All songs were written and performed by Droste...
. "Marla" itself is actually a song written by Droste's great aunt, a failed musician. As he explained in an interview with Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
:
As Horn of Plenty
Horn of Plenty (album)
Horn of Plenty is the debut studio album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on November 9, 2004 on Kanine. It is primarily a solo album by the band's founding member Edward Droste, with contributions from drummer Christopher Bear....
was a solo effort by Droste, this record is truly the band's "debut" as it features all members contributing to the writing and production of the album. Recordings took place throughout July 2006 in the house of Droste's mother on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
in 2006.
Reception
The album received critical acclaim from several major publications, and ranked #8 in Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's best albums of 2006 list, as well as a similarly high placement in the same list of the New York Times. The music webzine Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
ranked Yellow House #7 on the Top 25 Albums of 2006. It currently holds a score of 79 at aggregate critic review site, MetaCritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Track listing
Band
- Christopher BearChristopher BearChristopher Bear is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist associated with the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear....
– drums, vocals, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, lap steel, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone... - Edward DrosteEd DrosteEdward "Ed" Droste is an original member of the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. The group began as the solo effort of Droste with the release of 2004's Horn of Plenty, originally released on Kanine Records. All songs were written and performed by Droste...
– vocals, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Daniel RossenDaniel RossenDaniel Rossen is a singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. He is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles.-Biography:...
– vocals, guitars, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, autoharp - Chris TaylorChris Taylor (Grizzly Bear musician)Chris Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and producer best known for his role of bass player in the Brooklyn based indie folk group, Grizzly Bear.-Biography:...
– clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, vocals, keyboard, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, electronics and treatments
Additional musicians
- G. Lucas Crane - tapes ("Plans")
- Owen PallettOwen PallettMichael James Owen Pallett is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist from Toronto, Ontario. He won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album He Poos Clouds....
- strings, string arrangements ("Marla") - John Marshman - strings ("Marla")
Recording personnel
- Chris TaylorChris Taylor (Grizzly Bear musician)Chris Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and producer best known for his role of bass player in the Brooklyn based indie folk group, Grizzly Bear.-Biography:...
– producer, recording, mixing - Chris Coady - mixing
Song appearances
"Reprise," "Little Brother," "On a Neck, On a Spit," "Central and Remote", "Plans", and "Easier" are used as background music on several of Adult SwimAdult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
's bumps
Commercial bumper
In broadcasting, a commercial bumper, ident bumper or break-bumper is a brief announcement, usually two to 15 seconds that can contain a voice over, placed between a pause in the program and its commercial break, and vice versa...
. "On a Neck, On a Spit" was featured on The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
show Reaper
Reaper (TV series)
Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
.
External links
- "Central and Remote" music video on Subterranean Blog
- Interview Pitchfork Media Interview