Grizzly Bird Archives

Grizzly Bird – Backpacker: A Soulful Sojourn Through the Indie-Folk Landscape

Posted on 18 February 2024

Grizzly Bird (AKA Hans Gnendinger) presents ‘Backpacker‘, an attentive commentary enveloped in a melodious indie folk journey. This single, nestled within the anticipated album ‘Creatures‘, stands out as a synthy, lyrically driven exploration of the backpacking subculture, infused with a wit and insight that is both refreshing and thought-provoking.

Gnendinger, a stalwart of the Berlin folk scene, brought his Bavarian roots and urban experiences to bear in this track. His storytelling, honed through years of songwriting and life’s vicissitudes shines through in the light-hearted track which delves into the essence of human nature and our quest for meaning, all while maintaining a lightness of touch that is characteristic of Grizzly Bird’s style.

The lyrical wit reminiscent of John Grant, combined with the tongue-in-cheek reverie akin to Alex Cameron, positions ‘Backpacker’ in a unique space within the indie genre. Gnendinger’s voice carries the narrative with an effortless grace through the Radiohead-esque soundscape which exhibits Gnendinger’s skill with the acoustic guitar and his ability to weave complex emotions into his compositions while the synthy backdrop adds a contemporary edge to the folk foundation

In essence, ‘Backpacker’ is a mirror held up to a generation that seeks meaning in the nomadic, Beatnik lifestyle. Grizzly Bird, through this track, offers a perspective that is both critical and empathetic, urging us to question the romanticism of backpacking while also acknowledging its allure.

The official music video for Backpacker will premiere on February 16^th; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Showing a humorously honest side in tough times: Berlin’s Grizzly Bird drop funny visuals for ‘The Drummer’s Trauma’

Posted on 8 December 2020

The elevator door slides gently open, the burning creativity has returned after two years of a hiatus away from writing, and the story begins again. The Music Shop is the home of this Indie-Folk experience that certainly wets the appetite of our eyes and ears. Berlin based Indie-Folk-Rock trio Grizzly Bird return to the airwaves of the world with their hilarious music video, named ‘The Drummer’s Trauma‘ which was produced by Cameron James Laing at The Famous Gold Watch studios in Berlin.

His voice shows the pain of life at work, it seems like a great idea but now he is growing tired of this charade. This is a funny video with the main character getting hassled all the time and waking up in sweats from the stress. The cheeky chorus is very cleverly constructed to make you sway around with a smile on yourself, reflecting on previous experiences with some musicians that didn’t make a good impression.

A mellow Indie-Folk flow that is formulated so neatly, the energy gets you to tap your feet and sing too, always a sign of a terrific song. The melody is filled with a vivid sense up humour, the chilled guitar makes you smile and this is a fun song to listen to. The percussion keeps ticking over, and the honest track is terrifically meshed together to put the listener into the mind of a business owner, who is tired of dealing with petty problems that engulfs his mind.

‘The Drummer’s Trauma‘ from Berlin based Indie-Folk-Rock trio Grizzly Bird, is such an entertaining video with an end that is out of The Walking Dead at times. This is a return to the music scene, and a fresh start to greater heights awaits.

See the video here on YouTube.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen