Department of Eagles
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| Department of Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Whitey on the Moon UK |
| Origin | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Folktronica |
| Years active | 2001 – Present |
| Label(s) | Isota Records Melodic Records |
| Associated acts | Grizzly Bear |
| Members | |
| Daniel Rossen Fred Nicolaus |
|
Department of Eagles is a band formed in 2001 by friends and New York University (NYU) roommates Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear) and Fred Nicolaus. The duo's music combines folk, electronica and other influences. Initially, Rossen and Nicolaus planned on distributing their dorm room beats-and-samples CD only among friends, but they ended up releasing some of these early tracks on two limited-edition vinyl singles on California-based independent label Isota Records. They recorded additional tracks for these singles and for their debut album with producer Jeff Saltzman, the father of a friend from NYU. Saltzman went on to produce Hot Fuss, the debut CD by The Killers.
During this period the duo went by the tongue-in-cheek name "Whitey on the Moon UK." However, to avoid a dispute with a San Francisco-based band of the same name (excepting the UK), they changed their name to "Department of Eagles" before the release of their debut full-length CD. The Whitey on the Moon UK LP saw release on Isota Records in 2003. The band played their one (and only) live performance on KDVS radio to promote the release. Soon after, Rossen joined Grizzly Bear.
The Whitey on the Moon UK LP was released in the UK as The Cold Nose on Melodic Records in 2005. It was well-regarded by the British media,[citation needed] and the band began work on a new album. They have described the new material as sounding like Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, and Paul McCartney.
They stole their name from Marcel Broodthaers' institutional critique.
[edit] Discography
- Mo' 'Tussin - the EP (as Whitey on the Moon UK) 7-inch single, Isota Records 2002
- The Noam Chomsky Spring Break EP (as Whitey on the Moon UK) 7-inch single, Isota Records 2003
- The Whitey On The Moon UK LP CD and LP, Isota Records 2003
- The Cold Nose CD and LP, Melodic 2005 (UK reissue of The Whitey on the Moon UK LP)
- A Johnny Glaze Christmas: Classical Snatches and Samples a Go-Go 2003-2005 CD EP, Isota Records 2006
- The Cold Nose CD, American Dust, 2007 (reissue of The Whitey on the Moon UK LP with four bonus tracks)
