Exclusive: Grizzly Bear Sign to Warp

While Warp's generous offerings of chocolate, flowers, and free AFX binders went virtually unnoticed, the Grizz did finally respond to the enticing gift of a record contract with the UK's premiere electronic-ish label. Nevermind that Warp is so totally seeing other bands on the side, and, like, everybody knows it. Maxïmo Park even told Betty who told us, so there.

But we digress! What matters is the two are positively giddy about the possibilities of this fledgling relationship. Gushed Warp's Simon Halliday during sixth period geography class (read: in a press release), "Grizzly Bear are the most exciting band I've heard in quite some time and their musical development in the past six months has been staggering." Halliday was likely wooed by the band's debut album, Horn of Plenty, originally put out by Kanine Records in 2004, but then pimped out with a remix disc and re-released in 2005.

After being reprimanded by Mrs. Patterson for talking out of turn and serving a brief timeout, Halliday yapped on: "The new material is so achingly beautiful, expansive, and sprinkled with moments of heartbreaking pop. I can really see them being a significant musical force in the coming years and I'm very proud they have chosen to work with Warp." Let's hope they go all significant force before this fall's Sadie Hawkins dance!!

Courted by many, Grizzly Bear finally capitulated to Warp's advances because, as guitarist Ed Droste wrote in a note to Suzie (press release), "What it came down to was we were all devoted fans of Warp and its artists. The staff is amazing, and the dedication to artists was apparent. It seemed like the right thing to do, so we did it."

The two are purportedly "going steady" for the time being, although expect things to heat up when Warp releases Grizzly Bear's latest full-length, Yellow House, later this year.

Smitten Grizzly Bear is presently prancing about Canada, sharing the joys of new love with Final Fantasy, Wyrd Visions, and every passerby they can corner. Then it's on to Europe for more rocking, mauling, and/or sappery.

Hearts aflame:

04-11 Kingston, Ontario - The Grad Club $@
04-12 Waterloo, Ontario - The Starlight Club $@
04-13 Toronto, Ontario - Drake Hotel $@
04-14 Hamilton, Ontario - The Casbah $@
04-15 Wakefield, Quebec - Black Sheep Inn $@
04-16 Montreal, Quebec - Club Lambi $@
04-17 Montreal, Quebec - Club Lambi $@
05-02 Hamilton, Ontario - Casbah
05-03 Barrie, Ontario - Foundation
05-04 Toronto, Ontario - The Music Gallery %
05-10 London, England - The Luminaire $
05-11 Leuven, Belgium - Stuk !
05-12 Paris, France - Le Point Ephemere
05-13 Colmar, France - Le Grillen
05-14 Amsterdam, Holland - Cafe Pakhuis Wilhelmina
05-15 Berlin, Germany - West Germany
05-17 Aarhus, Denmark - Rotes Sofa
05-18 Aalborg, Denmark - Studenterhuse
05-19 Kolding, Denmark - Pitstop
05-20 Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen
05-21 Hamburg, Germany - Grünen Jäger-stage
05-22 Nurnberg, Germany - Musikverein 05-23 Geneva, Switzerland - L'Usine &
05-24 Dundingen, Switzerland - Bad Boon &
05-27 London, England - Barden's Boudoir
05-28 Newcastle, England - The Butterfly Cabinet
05-30 Cardiff, Wales - The Buffalo Bar
05-31 Manchester, England - The King Arms
06-01 Nottingham, England - The Social
06-02 Brighton, England - Freebutt +
06-03 London, England - Conway Hall (Homefires Festival) ^

$ with Final Fantasy
@ with Wyrd Visions
% with Now Yr Taken
! with Apparat Organ Quartet
& with Tarantula A.D.
+ with Ariel Pink
^ with Isobel Campbell, Adrian Crowley and Friends, Elysian Quartet

Despite their nascent relationship with Warp, rumor has it that Grizzly Bear will secretly tryst with former flame Audraglint Recordings on May 8. The two will release the limited-edition 12" early recordings collection Sorry for the Delay; immediately thereafter, the Grizz will politely tell Audra that the two should just remain friends...for now.

Grizzly Bear: http://www.grizzly-bear.net/
Warp: http://www.warp.com/
Audraglint: http://www.audraglint.com/