Civilian is the third album from Baltimore’s indie-folk duo Wye Oak, a collection of heart-wrenching tunes that singer/guitarist Jenn Wasner says are about "aloneness (the positive kind), loneliness (the horrible kind), moving on, and letting go (of people, places, and things.)" Every track paints those feelings vividly with Wasner’s dreamy vocals and multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack’s layers of echoing swirly melodies, fusing noise and fuzz at all the right times.
The album cover, a still of a cannonball diver submerged in dark water, sets the mood beautifully for these songs that are ready to boom from a summer-time lake side stereo. Like "Holy Holy" and it’s wailing guitar intro that returns triumphantly throughout, blending melodic rhythms and fuzz that recall the classic 90’s alternative edge.
"The Altar" is a rollercoaster of sound, building you up with a soft beginning before letting you loose in the chamber of loops, 60’s boardwalk/beachy keys, echoing dual vocals, and one hell of a super groovy guitar strum.
The title track "Civilian" is another killer track showcasing everything that Wye Oak is known for. Completely powerful in every way from the lyrics down to the scuzzed-out feedback, it’s another soft starter with a boom that kicks in with an uprise of everything they’ve got from a church organ that gives it a hint of southern gospel flair to a screeching guitar solo that’s ready to pull a Hendrix. This was the track that won me over fast.
Civilian was released 3/8. Check out the killer title track below, and also catch Wye Oak live at the Black Cat this Friday 3/11. –Dawn Wye Oak – Civilian by cityslang