Hands down the most buzzed about new D.I.Y. artist today is whiz-chameleon and Oakland resident Merrill Garbus, band name tUnE-yArDs. Her new album w h o k i l l—an African-inspired, poppy, jazzy, folk lo-fi—might be the smartest party music of the year so far. Garbus’ voice is at once a yelling-howling beauty and a cool jazzy style, and she manages both of these vocal styles onstage through the manipulation of vocal loops. No surprise her live shows across the U.S. keep selling out.
Garbus made a trip to Kenya after the release of her debut album Bird-Brains, and it’s heard in w h o k i l l. Originally from New England, Garbus lived in Montreal during her first release, and relocated to Oakland, California for her new album. She is a creative force, and this album is a perfect balance of lyrically profound, quieter, moody tracks, and shake-your-booty dance grooves. To feel the intense dance party first hand, be sure to watch the music video for w h o k i l l’s single “Bizness.”
tUnE-yArDs’ songs range from wild and fast to slower and often visceral, in a way that may be most comparable to the power of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O. w h o k i l l features infectious beats with a hip hop feel. Listeners familiar with Oakland will notice the song “Gangsta” is undeniably influenced by Garbus’ new home base. The song features the chorus “Bang Bang Boy-ee, never move to my hood, because danger is crawling out the way” and begins with the sound of sirens, but slows down near the middle with Garbus softly singing “Life in the city makes sense.“ In “Wooly Wooly Gong,” Garbus contemplates romance and attachments, with heart-wrenching lines like, “Keep your bleeding heart wide open.” Inspired by Garbus’ sincere music, this album rips hearts and ears wide open. — Shauna Keddy