Washington State Magazine
music

Montaña Y Caballo

by Yarn Owl-Tyler Armour ’10, Tim Meinig ’10, Ted Powers ’09, and Javier Suarez ’10 :: :: Reviewed by Kyle Whitmus '12

Montana Y Caballo, by Yarn Owl

 For fans of earthy, Northwest indie-folk in the vein of Seattle’s Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes, Pullman’s own Yarn Owl delivers a lush and satisfying debut. Montaña Y Caballo, the band’s first full-length album, was recorded in a barn just south of Moscow, Idaho, and every song evokes the varied scenery of the Pacific Northwest. The opening track “Go” begins with a bright mandolin hook and develops into a rousing call-and-response anthem that leads seamlessly into standout track “Seashell Wind Chime.” Developing in musical waves, the song begins with a steady drum beat and is soon joined by a big outdoor rock riff followed by a wonderfully catchy melody and reverberating vocal work.

Other standout tracks include “Dark Air” whose melody calls to mind Silent Alarm-era Bloc Party. Album closer “Will You Be” features a slow buildup of complex instrumentation giving way to a layered and breathtaking vocal harmony similar to Sigur Rós at their best.

Yarn Owl’s impressive debut captures a sense of place better than most of their contemporaries and for just $5 on the band’s bandcamp page, listeners more than get their money’s worth with every listen.

Singer Javier Suarez, drummer Ted Powers, bass guitarist Tim Meinig, and lead guitarist Tyler Armour make up Yarn Owl.

Categories: Music | Tags: Independent music, Folk rock