“Civilian” by Wye Oak
After almost seven months away from home, I’m now comfortably planted on my couch again, scrolling cable channels for Bondi Rescue reruns. It feels great to be home, and to finally have time to discover music again.
So, to end the travel-induced hiatus and to get back on the music blog bandwagon, here’s one of my favourite bands of the year (so far), Wye Oak. Much like their fellow Baltimore folk, Beach House, this male-female duo have a wall of sound that you might expect from a five-piece band. But their soundscapes are no feat of electronic manipulation but brilliant musical multi-tasking.
The title track to their latest album Civilian is the standout in a collection of songs that’s punctuated by cool nonchalance and haunting clarity. The intense rumble in “Civilian” brews insecurities and discontent until the tension explodes in flurry of guitar noise.
