Rossen: Reflections on Music, Collaboration, and the Evolving Indie Scene

Music as a Hobby in Isolation

Rossen: It’s funny: I’ve always made music, but I live in Santa Fe and feel isolated from the music world generally, so I tend to think of it as a hobbyist activity now. It doesn’t feel like a pursuit in that same way. That Hannah Frances album Nested in Tangles is an interesting one, in how it came together. She came to one of my solo shows in Philadelphia to help sell my merch, and afterwards she gave me a copy of her record Keeper of the Shepherd. You never know what you’re going to hear when someone hands you their album, but as I drove to my next gig I thought, My God, she has a real voice. When she sent me her new music and invited me to collaborate, it seemed fun to try to help her realize it, because her music has some kinship with work I’ve done in the past.

Continuing the Journey

Rossen: I’m just trying to keep going though. That’s how everybody feels, I think: you don’t wanna stop, in part because I don’t know what else I would do. The solo album was an experience I poured myself into and then it drifted away afterwards. It was hard to promote, obviously, because it’s a dark record, very internal, and not easy to get across to people. After I poured myself into that, I felt like music became something I did in my personal life. Maybe it’s just the state of my music interest, where I am in my life in my 40s, and the way tastes have shifted, but it’s hard for it to feel like a primary pursuit anymore, even though it’s obviously central to who I am.

Scoring for Film: A Unique Challenge

I watched The Line a few weeks ago without knowing you scored it, Daniel, and immediately recognized your fingerpicking. There was a moment of disbelief, though, because of the tonal disconnect. Being asked to score Past Lives makes sense: the emotional nuance, these themes of love, longing, and the passage of time. Meanwhile, The Line is all about frat bros, hazing, and the tolls of harassment – not what listeners usually associate with the Grizzly Bear sound. Was that a rewarding challenge?

Rossen: That was really fun to work on actually! The director was very familiar with our whole catalog, so there were no surprises with him. It was an open, riffing exchange making the whole film; a lot of quick, interplay ideas is my favorite way to do that type of work. I think the reason he reached out to me is because he liked the idea of my music opening up the interior world of these characters while the film itself is a bunch of bros being awful to each other. I loved working on that film. There’s a scene where the director asked me to score over this awful pop song called “Glad You Came.” He said, “Why don’t you do this like you did that Jojo cover: just make a verse, score over it, and we’ll try to use it.” It was a very fun back-and-forth exchange working on the film like that.

The Evolution of Indie Rock

Indie rock veered away from the more ornate, baroque pocket that Grizzly Bear dominated, with indie rock bands in the late 2010s and early 2020s going more pop, country, or shoegaze. But there’s an uptick in young bands embracing woodwinds or romantic arrangements like you did, like Black Country, New Road, the New Eves, Racing Mount Pleasant, Tapir!, and so on. As a band who used to dominate this space, how do you feel about the next generation?

Rossen: I’ve heard some of those bands and think it’s nice. Hannah Frances is also in that type of lineage, I think. The last couple years, there’s just been a lot of great music, regardless of whether it relates back to that more baroque pop influence of ours in a post-freak-folk era. I’ve just been enjoying being at this stage of my life where I can reapproach the music that’s happening now as a consumer and just enjoy it. The last couple years have been great. Obviously the Cindy Lee record was insane; I had a whole phase with that, like many people did. There’s this Warp artist Clarissa Connelly whose album was really pretty, kinda weird, and wildly singular, like Metallica but played very slowly with acoustic instruments. I really enjoyed that Chanel Beads record, the new Bad Bunny, Cameron Winter of course, and that Chicago band Lifeguard. Those kids are so talented. I saw them in a little club in Kingston, New York, which was so fun.

Conclusion

Rossen’s journey through music reflects a deep connection to his craft, even as he navigates feelings of isolation and shifting priorities. His collaborative spirit and appreciation for emerging artists showcase a vibrant indie music scene that continues to evolve. As he finds joy in both creating and consuming music, it becomes clear that the passion for artistry remains a core aspect of his identity.

FAQs

1. What inspired Rossen to collaborate with Hannah Frances?

Rossen was inspired by Hannah Frances’s genuine talent and the kinship he felt with her music, which resonated with his previous work.

2. How does Rossen view his music career in relation to his personal life?

He sees music as something that has become more personal and hobbyist due to feelings of isolation and the challenges of promoting darker themes in his work.

3. What was Rossen’s experience scoring for films like The Line?

He found it rewarding and enjoyed the collaborative process with the director, particularly the challenge of juxtaposing his music with the film’s themes.

4. How does Rossen feel about the current state of indie music?

He appreciates the resurgence of bands embracing ornate arrangements and enjoys discovering new artists, indicating a vibrant and evolving music scene.