- 05
- Mar
Unless you were born with one of those silver spoons, you likely work a day job, sneaking time for your own business when not taking care of someone else's. You're not alone. Every week, Brandon Stosuy finds out how our favorite indie artists make ends meet...
Baltimore's Wye Oak play hushed, sometimes loud, always lush pop. It's refreshingly tough to pin the duo down, but not in some over-eclectic, pseudo-avant way. It's also refreshing to say they legitimately know how to write songs with great hooks. The sound is at times folky, but also brims with noise -- as on swirling Velocity Girl-ish "Warning." Their Merge debut If Children weaves a certain sadness across tracks like "Warning," "Family Glue" "Regret," "I Don't Feel Young," "Obituary," etc. Carrie Brownstein thinks they sound like Whitney Houston (hint: not really).
They used to called themselves Monarch before discovering a number of other groups also held the moniker, so they chose the Maryland state tree instead. As you'll see in the following discussion with vocalist/guitarist Jenn Waster, they love Baltimore, so the shift seems preferable. Jenn's a waitress at area restaurant Golden West Café. When she sings, she sometimes sounds like Kim Deal (see "Family Glue") and has made me think of Throwing Muses.
Andy Stack, who handles drums and keyboard and also sings (rather E. Smith-style), is in the sixth year of completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He's done in May. Congrats, Andy. Wye Oak were able to log (ignore the pun) free studio time at the school studio while working on their aforementioned debut, but for now we're just focusing on Jenn's work. Not that being a student isn't a job, but ... you know. If you want more Andy, check out this video of him playing the drum part for "Warning." And, following the conversation about the ins and outs and chile sauce of Golden West, take a listen to the lovely "I Don't Feel Young." It falls on the quiet side of things. Until it gets loud.