Sometimes mornings can be a bit rushed. You find your way downstairs and have a cup before you look up, notice you’re late, find your coat and grab your hat, and make the bus ten seconds flat! Or, you have to get your chain mail on ASAP because the enemy is about to attack, and you’re just snoozing with your friend! Some mornings just aren’t made for savoring new Bay Area music.
But when it comes to Yesway, that’s perfectly fine: the duo’s intricate tunes are better suited for the hushed stillness of autumn nights anyway. Throughout their recent self-titled LP, Emily Ritz and Kacey Johansing twist mesmerizing guitar patterns and their voices – at once soothing and menacing – around each other into imaginative shapes that dance like flames. And while their interlocking acoustic guitars often flutter and lilt delicately, the occasional addition of thudding percussion and bass offer an added oomf. But even when those instruments add weight and clarity to this sparse music, the mystery persists.
Yesway brings its captivating music to the Independent this Sunday with Mirah. In the meantime, you can listen to their full album here and watch the video for single “Howlin’ Face” below.