By Daniel SylvesterWhen Daniel Rossen became a member of Grizzly Bear, before the recording of Yellow House, the Brooklyn, NY psych-folkers' sound gained a great deal of weight, intimacy and romantic valour. The L.A.-bred vocalist/guitarist strays little from his Grizzly Bear/Department of Eagles M.O. with Silent Hour/Golden Mile, his debut solo release. A modest five-song EP, from its pared-down arrangements to its monochromatic album cover, Silent Hour/Golden Mile is a surprisingly cohesive release that begs for repeat spins. Opener "Up on High" is the most representative of Rossen's sound, with its unravelling intros, rusty strumming and lovelorn vocals. "Silent Song" unfurls much like a George Harrison song, as Rossen rides a galloping rhythm, while "Return to Form," with its fractured picking, demonstrates just why Grizzly Bear are often described as "freak-folk." Daniel Rossen has been a valuable tool not only to Grizzly Bear's sound, but to the sound of 21st Century indie rock, a fact thoroughly demonstrated on Silent Hour/Golden Mile. (Warp)
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