Merge’s Wye Oak is releasing it’s third record, Civilian, today. It’s a beautiful, if not haunting record, featuring songs undulating great swells like “Holy, Holy.” The Baltimore-based band, comprised of singer/guitarist/songwriter Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack (backing vocals/drums/keyboards), plays the Lamplighter with Lower Dens and Young Greys Monday 03/14/11.
Where did the title track, “Civilian,” come from? The lyrics seems to suggest a longing for absolution or a need to fit into something bigger.
The song “Civilian” is about acknowledging an unhealthy level of dependence on others for your own happiness, and trying to break free of that. It’s about learning to love the life you have instead of constantly obsessing over the things you can’t have. And, overall, being more self-sufficient and free from the expectations others have for you (or, at least, the expectations you imagine others may have for you).
The rest of the songs on the album, then, all stem from that realization–at a certain point everyone has to choose their own path, and in order to fully exist in one world, there are others that we cannot have, and certain sacrifices we all have to make. In the end, I’m really happy with the life I’m living right now, but it’s inevitable that there will be times when I yearn for a bit more stability and permanence.
You’ve said in a previous interview that the new record is kind of like your first “real” one. What’s changed with this new record or in your careers to really make it feel as such?
Because everything has happened so quickly for us–and we’re fortunate that this is the case, you don’t always get to choose the timing of these things!–we’ve always been learning as we go. Our first two records, in my mind, were “learning” records for us–figuring out how to write, how to record, how to feel comfortable with our live setup. “Civilian” is the first record that I felt adequately prepared to make. We’ve been performing together for long enough that we’re finally comfortable with our two-piece balancing act, and I feel that we’ve grown as songwriters and arrangers, as well. Appropriately enough, mixing the record with engineer/producer John Congleton was the icing on the cake. One of the most valuable things we’ve learned is how to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses and allow others to help us fully realize our ideas.
How did your hometown influence you as a band?
Andy and I grew up in Baltimore County, so we had a fairly suburban upbringing. I’ve lived in the city proper for about eight years now–essentially for the duration of my serious musical output.
Baltimore can be intimidating, but there is a lot of warmth in this city–the difference is that it comes from the people and the music and art that’s being made here rather than the surroundings themselves. It’s an inspiring and exciting place, but also a very comfortable and supportive feeling scene. It feels far less competitive than a lot of places; people here are genuinely excited to work with one another.
There are some pretty powerful religious overtones here–songs like Holy, Holy and The Alter, for example–and it seems even more so when you consider the dreamy haziness of the music and Jenn’s . Do you consider yourselves influenced by religion or religious imagery?
Because of my upbringing and my general sense of wonder, confusion, and curious agnosticism, religious imagery shows itself in my songs from time to time. I definitely consider it to be rooted in ideas far more human than divine. And, by the way, this is a common misconception, but the song “The Alter” isn’t a religious reference at all. It refers to the idea of multiple conflicting personalities, more like “alter-ego” than an altar used for religious purposes. It’s my own fault. I like ambiguous sounding words. I’ll probably always be correcting people about that song : )
How do you cope with being on the road? Are there any things from home you simply can’t be without?
There are a few tricks–I call them “privacy-simulating techniques” that I’ve learned over the years. A good book, a few hours with headphones and good music to shut out the rest of the world. The most exciting recent development in tour-technology for me has got to be my recent acquisition of a fully-functional portable recording setup, for making these songs on the go! Hoping to get some good work done in the van this time.
If you had to pick five records to bring on your upcoming tour, which will they be?
Hmm…
The new Destroyer record is great, I’m really digging the as-yet unreleased record from the band Bobby (they have a record coming out on Partisan Records soon), probably want to get a new Arthur Russell record that I haven’t heard yet (I’m on a bit of a binge), something really rough and desert-drivey, like maybe some Nick Cave? and What’s The 411 by Mary J Blige.
Any bands in particular that you’re hoping to catch at SXSW?
Oh, god, I haven’t even begun to think about actually seeing music at SXSW. In the few free moments we’ll have, I hope to be fully occupied with tacos, margaritas, swimming, and catching up with friends.
