Pitchfork

The last we heard from Grizzly Bear regarding their full-length follow-up to 2006's exceedingly lovely Yellow House was chatter of a "sunny afternoon" sound in lieu of the preceding disc's "fall afternoon" vibe, and talk of a spring 2009 release.

It would seem those seasons still stand for the moment, per founding Grizzly Ed Droste's recent conversation with Drowned in Sound [via Stereogum]. As Droste tells it, the new disc is about 80% complete at this point, and packed with "more variety" and "higher highs and lower lows" already. And that's all without the children's choir(!) the band has hired on and will record early next month.

More juicy tidbits from the Droste-man: the as-yet-untitled record will boast "more shared lead vocals and back and forth interplay between [band members]," owing to a more collaborative writing process this time around. The band has once again turned to its own Chris Taylor to produce, and fan favorites "Two Weeks" (which GB performed on "Letterman" this summer), "Fine for Now", and "While You Wait for the Others" (played on "Conan O'Brien" and KCRW) should all turn up on the record. Also, more drums, and a more deliberate attempt to showcase the Grizzly Bear "live sound."

On the special guest front, Droste reports that the new disc is largely an in-House (ohh!) affair, though man-about-town Nico Muhly contributes arrangements and Victoria Legrand of Grizzly's frequent tourmates Beach House may grace "Two Weeks" with a backing vocal.

Speaking of Muhly, his string sorcery will play a significant role in the Grizzly's previously reported meet-up with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, which hits the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Howard Gilman Opera House on February 28 and will also feature an orchestral-ized set from Final Fantasy.

Grizzly guy Daniel Rossen's Department of Eagles, meanwhile, have a rather excellent record out now and a couple overseas shows coming up on the quick.

Department of Eagles:

12-03 London, England - The Borderline
12-04 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie