Daniel Rossen

Originally from Los Angeles, Rossen moved to attend New York University. Rossen is the grandchild of filmmaker Robert Rossen, who directed The Hustler and All the King's Men.[1] Robert Rossen's parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants.[2] As a student at the university, Rossen formed Department of Eagles with roommate Fred Nicolaus in 2001. The duo then released two 7" singles and an album, The Whitey on the Moon UK, on Isota Records. About Department of Eagles early recordings, Rossen explains:[3]

The band started as a joke, which accounts for a lot of the trip-hop sounding stuff on Cold Nose. We didn't initially play any instruments or sing, we just made really lo-fi sample collages and 'beats.' It was a geeky parody of west coast abstract hip hop, I think, mostly a game of coming up with the most ridiculous track title or idiotic band persona.

Rossen concurrently went on to join Grizzly Bear in 2005. He joined the group for their second album, Yellow House. On joining Grizzly Bear, Rossen notes:[4]

For a long time, I only played my songs to close friends; and it just happened that I lived with Chris Taylor during my second year of college, so he heard them. He was my entrance into Grizzly Bear. He joined the band first, then after a while he suggested I come in with these songs. [...] When I joined, I did about two rehearsals with them, worked out one of my songs to put into the set, then a week later we were out on the road for a two-month tour. It was a real trial-by-fire thing [...] honestly, I was not a performer at all before being in this band, and touring with them taught me so much. Playing for people changes the way you think about music, about songs, about singing, about everything. I felt like I didn't even really find a voice I was comfortable with until I'd been in the band for a few more years. That's one of the really interesting things about making music as a young person: the fact that this period of growth, when you're still learning what you're doing, is captured. Listening to old live recordings, then Yellow House, then Veckatimest, you can really hear this growth: as songwriters, as performers, as artists, as people. I really cherish that. I think it's a real privilege to be able to have that record of yourself growing; going from a young person to an adult.

Department of Eagles released their second record In Ear Park in October 2008. The album featured fellow Grizzly Bear bandmates Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear of Grizzly Bear, with Taylor co-producing. The album was dedicated to Rossen's late father, with whom Rossen shared memories of going to the titular park.[5]

In 2012, Rossen released a solo EP, Silent Hour/Golden Mile. Rossen would embark on a belated tour for the EP in 2014 due to commitments to Grizzly Bear's fourth album, Shields, released the same year as the EP. Rossen released the 12" single Deerslayer for Record Store Day 2018, though the song has been in circulation since his 2014 solo tour,[6] and was quietly released in 2017 via his website.[7]

In 2019, Rossen would tease songs for a potential debut solo album on his Instagram page. Again in 2021, Rossen continued to tease work on the album through Instagram, with Christopher Bear confirming his involvement via his own Instagram.

Rossen in 2020 performed an untitled song for Vote Ready, a livestream concert, which featured music from Bear, though also in a solo performance. Rossen appeared on the fourth Fleet Foxes album, Shore, contributing to its penultimate track, once again with Bear who contributed drums and percussion to all but five tracks of the album.[8]

On January 20, 2022, Rossen announced his debut solo album You Belong There, released on April 8, 2022, supported by a tour of North America and Europe.[9]