Department Of Eagles - The Cold Nose

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 22 / 1 / 2006

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Review

Apparently the Department Of Eagles is the building where as per obligation music styles fly in and out. The press release mentions DJ Shadow and, as I have fond memories of his music, this is precisely the reason why I would usually straightaway toss away that paperwork. Not this time though, alas. The information that comes with their album read again like something unworldly and very unlikely, pretending that these tracks are demos and leftovers from recordings made at somebody famous's home. Two kids, however, recorded 'The Cold Nose' in a moment of inspiration and, now that they have grown a little older, the UK based Melodic Records label sees the time as right for their fragmented jolts of beauty and idiosyncrasy to be made available to the public at large. Department of Eagles is the duo of Fred Nicolaus and Daniel Rossen, residents of New York although the album was made in San Francisco. Laidback as metropolitan life seems to have become, 'The Cold Nose' kicks off with 'On Glaze' in a winning fashion of jazzy piano play with politely delivered thumping. Straight into 'Sailing by Night' the mood becomes agreeably lazy and never leaves that stage even when the - indeed great - outbursts aren't exactly lounge room muzak. The appropriately named 'The Piano In The Bathtub' may possibly feature classic notes I simply fail to recognise , but it seems a genuine little jewel. A pop tune seamlessly evolves into great composing and their overall orchestral appeal reaches a great point here. Caught in a bit of a haze, Department of Eagles continues in frantic,but however controlled manner before their vapours of eerie monologues, fragile keyboard notes with the aid from jazzy percussion and with quite a quantity to spare of surface noise, lead to the sparkling songs of 'Forty Dollar Rug' - melting strumming and pedal steel guitar in a very clever way - and 'The Horse You Ride.' The latter is the perfect example of an archetype Department of Eagles song with its catchy melody, first of all axed by sonic adventures, and then brought back to life and to grander proportions. I may seem a little over-enthusiastic yet Department of Eagles went the direction I wished so many bands had taken, and whose albums instead became dire and predictable items. It came out in December and it's my number one from the ones I missed from when 2005 was alive.

Track Listing:-

1 On Glaze
2 Sailing by Night
3 Noam Chomsky Spring Break 2002
4 The Piano in the Bathtub
5 Romo-Goth
6 Gravity's Greatest Victory/Rex Snorted Coke
7 Origin of Love
8 Family Romance
9 Forty Dollar Rug
10 We Have to Respect Each Other
11 The Curious Butterfly Realizes He Is Beautiful
12 The Horse You Ride
13 Ghost in Summer Clothes
14 Dinner for Two (Bonus Track)
15 Day School/Rooster (Bonus Track)
16 Mining for Gold/Payoff (Bonus Track)
17 Ghost in Summer Clothes (Demo) [Bonus Track]