Wye Oak

w. Callers
Monday April 4 – The Mill – $8 advance, $10 door

Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner named the band Wye Oak in remembrance of the largest white oak in the U.S., which was destroyed by lightning in 2002. Like this majestic tree, the music of Wye Oak branches and spreads, surrounding listeners with leaf-dappled textures. Though only a duo, the members of Wye Oak sound like a full band due to the dexterous Andy Stack playing drums, keyboards, bass and singing backup simultaneously. Jenn Wasner’s vocals and guitar weave a beautiful, ethereal weft to Stack’s steady warp. The band’s newest release, Civilian (Merge, March 2011), contains rockers like its title track, as well as dreamy grooves like “Two Small Deaths” and “Holy Holy.” This Baltimore group creates a heartfelt soundscape that immerses you in its emotional depths and lifts you momentarily above the shoegaze surface with blistering solos and vocal harmonies.