Intern Pick for July: Wye Oak w/ Other Colors

Wye Oak is an indie folk rock duo from Baltimore, Maryland. The band consists of Jenn Wasner (guitarist and lead vocalist) and Andy Stack (drummer, Keyboardist, and Backup vocalist.) They are named after a tree in Maryland that was the honorary state tree and the largest white oak in the United States. They have recently been featured by NPR.

They are signed on Merge Records and have released three albums and one EP; If Children (2008), The Knot (2009), My Neighbor / My Creator - EP (2010), and Civilian (March 2011).

Since their first album Wye Oak has matured from the simpler songs of If Children which had less lyrical depth and simpler melodies and harmonies. With their newest album, Civilian, they use more complex harmonies and put a larger focus onto the lyrical aspect. The vocal and piano melodies intertwine and complement eachother to form a soothing ambient sound that often swells into a sound more reminicant of shoegaze, perfectly accented by what Wasner calls “sonic explosions that come out of nowhere.”

They are amazing live with Wasner playing guitar and singing lead vocals while Stack plays keyboard with his right hand and drums with his left, all while manipulating loops and singing backup vocals.

They will be playing with Other Colors which is a “spectralist pop/future folk-rock” trio from Baltimore comprised of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Will Ryerson on guitar and vocals, Pat Berberich on bass guitar and vocals, and Sam Haberman on drums and percussion.

Come see the show on Thursday, July 5th at The Space in Hamden, CT.