Like a good chef, Baltimore indie rock duo Wye Oak knows how to utilize the slow build of salivation that forces a bigger payoff at the end. Many of their brooding songs feature quiet sounding verses that lead into guitar heavy choruses, and witnessing Jenn Wasner do double duty with such ease on Friday afternoon was a thing to behold. Percussionist Andy Stack also at times worked the drum kit while one-handing the keys. When one hears “folk indie duo”, they probably think of something quiet, but Wye Oak provided the Gobi tent with its earliest buzz. The band closed their set with the well-written single “Civilian”, a song that particularly focuses on Wasner’s muddled but beautiful singing and stellar work on the guitar. Wye Oak’s sound on Friday sounded as though they would’ve fit into the original Woodstock bill. Another strong song was “Logic of Color”, which featured Wasner’s killer white girl dance moves to go with appetizing rock ‘n roll.
Check out more photos of Wye Oak at Coachella 2014.
Words: Mark E. Ortega
