It is always such a dangerous thing, when you have loved what a band has done in the past, then they produce a new record. I can genuinely say that I am blown away by Wye Oak’s new album, Civilian. I have a short review of it at http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content.php?contentid=13297&single=true
I got to see them recently when they were opening for Cold War Kids, who I didn’t stay to see because – well – frankly they do nothing for me.
I DID get to meet Wye Oak after their set. We’d met before and I corresponded a bit with Andy, so it was very relaxed. They attempted to scupper me by taking the piss out of would-be journo questions. The interview, in pretty form, is here http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/content/content_detail.php?id=5089&type=Interviews
I hadn’t heard the album at the time of the show – Jenn and Andy asked their PR person to send me a zip, which I got the next day, and I’ve been smitten ever since.
I’ve been thinking all day about the ‘rating’ that we so arrogantly ascribe to someone else’s blood and toil. Bollocks, sometimes it has to be done, but who the fuck do we think we are? All I can say is that this record really is up there. It’s not Bob Dylan’s Desire, nor is it Meat is Murder, but they were different days. It’s definitely up there and I’m dead comfortable with a 9 /10 review, it ain’t hyperbole, right here and now it’s the best thing I’ve heard in a year that’s included some great stuff. I’ve got the record on the kitchen stereo right now… 2:41 into Civilian, the way the guitar breaks down into ‘verb…. it just pulls…”
– Mike Hughes is the writer, photographer and host of Catshoegazing, a lively, intelligent and discerning music blog.
