Grief is a crippling emotion. It can dominate focus and exhaust the mental capacity of its sufferers. Grief can manifest itself in many ways, negatively and sometimes positively. For Daniel Rossen of Department of Eagles, it took the form of a beautifully intimate album titled In Ear Park. Rossen dedicated the album to his father, who passed away in 2007. The record gives listeners a peek into his childhood memories and the beauty that can be born of tragedy.

Department of Eagles began in the most unlikely environment for a lasting relationship – a freshman dormitory in New York. Rossen and Fred Nicolaus crafted samples and clips, and their first album The Cold Nose debuted in 2003. In 2004 Rossen joined Grizzly Bear, and Department of Eagles took the background until their recent release.

In Ear Park’s title track opens the album with a twinkling build-up. Rossen’s hauntingly sweet vocals pair with evocative lyrics about his favorite childhood park. “No One Does It Like You” picks up the tempo with a blissful love song and smooths into a deeply sentimental track titled “Phantom Other”. “Herringbone” is a whisper of despair about regret, what could have been and the lives that go on after death.

The album is an addicting mix of ethereal vocals and a production of strong piano, footsteps, swelling percussion and gentle guitar. It provides the perfect euphoria for when the days get shorter and fall is here to stay.

With this album, Department of Eagles focused more on intimacy and less on mechanics. Most of the album has a sense of a loss; the lyrics convey a yearning for someone who has left. “Phantom Other” speaks to audiences with “You’re not the only one; oh boy, with that phantom other gone.” They weren’t trying to make an experimental album; they were trying to write a eulogy.

The sophomore release shows Department of Eagles can’t be dismissed as merely a sidekick. In Ear Park strikes a nerve and creates a feeling of nostalgia. The album reminds us that music isn’t about studio tricks and record sales. It proves music can still conjure emotion and stop us in our tracks. Rarely a record comes along that changes the context of its listeners. Department of Eagles confirms that music has the power to heal, and that sorrow can eventually turn sweet.

Department of Eagles Daytrotter Session