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The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe ®

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Featuring classics from heritage troubadours to new musicians and bands in the singer-songwriter tradition.

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WXPN Features Grizzly Bear as the XPN Artist To Watch for May

PHILADELPHIA, PA – WXPN, the nationally-recognized leader in Triple A music and non-commercial radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, names Grizzly Bear as its May Artist To Watch. WXPN On-Air Host David Dye will present the first of the month’s on-air segments on Friday, May 1 in the 4 p.m. hour.

Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated records of the year, Brooklyn quartet Grizzly Bear return this month with Veckatimest, the follow-up to the their stunning sophomore album, the 2006 sensation Yellow House. The attention and praise garnered by that album, and the following year’s Friend EP, quickly hoisted the group to the very top echelon of current indie-rock music. With their new release, the band further displays their uncanny ability to mine jaw-dropping pop gems from complex and unconventional song structures. It’s just this erudite yet accessible sensibility that has found the group equally at home sharing stages with performers as various as Radiohead, Paul Simon, and the L.A. Philharmonic, and promises only more success and wider audiences in the future.

“The band has a unique musical vision marrying baroque, orchestral and ornate pop with attention to detail and gorgeous lyrical imagery,” said Bruce Warren, Assistant General Manager of Programming for WXPN. “Grizzly Bear is pushing pop's musical boundaries like few other modern indie-rock bands.”

“I'm impressed with the care and imagination this band puts into each and every song,” said Dan Reed, WXPN Music Director. ”The songwriting is top-notch, and they are masters at hooking you into their tunes.”

For more on the XPN Artists To Watch series and this month’s featured artist, Grizzly Bear.

The XPN Artist To Watch series reflects WXPN’s commitment to nurturing fresh, new talent and exposing listeners to the best new music. Each month, the XPN Artists To Watch series spotlights a different up-and-coming performer who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability. Month-long on-air promotion is combined with online features to help audiences discover each artist.

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe®, public radio's most popular program of popular music hosted by David Dye and syndicated by NPR, and the Peabody Award winning Kids Corner hosted by Kathy O'Connell. WXPN also produces the alternative rock service, Y-Rock On XPN as its secondary radio channel in HD that is also available online. WXPN serves the greater Philadelphia area at 88.5 FM, the Lehigh Valley at 104.9, Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, Lancaster/York at 88.7 FM, Harrisburg at 99.7 FM, and the world via online streaming at XPN.org.

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