Wye Oak : The Knot :: Review
Occasionally an album comes along that knocks your socks off by asserting its own personality rather than chase whatever trends are popular at the time. Recalling a simpler era, Wye Oak channels a gothic folksy sound akin to Sandy Denny fronting Crazy Horse. This style works remarkably well on “The Knot” with its dense and woozy compositions that reveal more upon each listen. Throughout “The Knot” songwriters Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner explore the possibilities of how our ties to other people define our experiences. Wasner and Stack implore you to glean your meaning from this collection of songs rather than spell everything out for you.
“The Knot” opens with a dramatic attention getting bell chime on the weary “Milk and Honey.” “Milk and Honey” swoons and sways to its staccato percussion and feels like it will collapse any second if it passes its two-minute playtime. In contrast, the cautiously optimistic “For Prayer” opens with a whimper before ending in a noisy feedback driven squall. “Take It In” builds upon the drama and measures out its own striking cadence as the melody survives the guitar onslaught. Of the album’s many highlights, my personal favorite would have to be the droning and organ heavy “Mary is Mary.” For comparison, think of a heavier and bluer Mazzy Star.
While there is nothing on the rest of the album as dark as the epic “Mary is Mary,” Wye Oak change gears and attempt to lighten the proceedings a bit. “Tattoo” is almost poppy in a sense and “I Want For Nothing” offers a melancholy bit of violin before the tempestuous “That I Do” and the closing dirge of “Sight, Flight.” “The Knot” is available on July 21st on Merge Records but would probably more suitable for the autumnal months as well.
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