tUnE-yArDs, w h o k i l l

There are some albums that I find to be really approachable and easy to understand and get into. Then there are those albums that need time to digest in order to be understood. And honestly I wish that some of these albums came with directions or a road map. On rare occasions there are albums that come along and somehow manage to straddle these two very different musical experiences and create a body of work that can boggle and satisfy the mind and heart at the same time. tUnE-yArDs' new album, w h o k i l l is one of these rare albums for me.

w h o k i l l, which is the second album by Merrill Garbus, who records under the name of tUnE-yArDs with the support of various musicians, is an absolutely fearless endeavor. Garbus has a strong affinity for African and Jamaican beats and rhythms. On w h o k i l l Garbus explores ideas of sound, rhythm, and even song structure using these influences as a foundation for her songs.

Garbus is cool multi-instrumentalist, musician, and singer who is very innovative with how she creates and builds her songs. Starting off as a 'bedroom recorder,' Garbus developed her musical style around the use of a drum, a ukulele, and her voice, which she put through a processor in order to loop, layer, and manipulate their sounds. 

On w h o k i l l, Garbus continues to uses these recording technics, but she has expanded and refined them. Layering and looping her voice for example, she creates rhythms, melody lines, and musical accents that are so spot on, you forget that you are listening to a voice. The Ukulele is also present along with lots of drums, and an array of new instruments that all bring new textures and nuances to her music. 

Bizness   

What really struck me when listening to w h o k i l l is how Garbus has grown and evolved as a songwriter. Musically, her songs are so well conceived and developed. They can be at once catchy, inviting and challenging, playing with musical styles and influences. Lyrically, Garbus takes on notions about social justice at home, in our own communities, and in war-torn areas like the middle east, and uses her voice to accentuate her story telling in many different ways. As a singer, Garbus has an amazing range and packs an emotional punch. She can take her voice from a soft, beautiful, and ethereal place to a loud, aggressive, and nasty-growly place without any warning to drive home a thought or idea. And it is this unexpected element that makes her music that much more interesting. 

While Garbus' song Bizness is one of my favorite songs of the year so far, every one of the ten song on w h o k i l l is something special and deserves and demands attention. Put all ten together, and you have one of the best albums of the year so far...by a large margin.

tUnE-yArDs, w h o k i l l will be released on April 19th.