tUnE-yArDs
tUnE-yArDs played at End Of The Road Festival 2011.
tUnE-yArDs is the project of New England native, Merrill Garbus. Possessing an expansive sound that marries a coarse folk ingenuity with the bold pop sensibility of an R&B siren, Merrill has released one album to date as tUnE-yArDs – 2009’s BiRd-BrAiNs. Assembled with a staunch DIY aesthetic, Merrill recorded herself using a digital voice recorder and pieced together the record using shareware mixing software; a process that became part of the album’s charm.
Described by Stereogum as “a self-contained Sublime Frequencies compilation, jumping between blues, African tunes, shiny reggae-esque sprawls, and lo-fi folk”, BiRd-BrAiNs is reminiscent of both the worldly sonic palette of M.I.A. and the chaotic buzz of The Raincoats. Ranging from the surreal to the sublime, the record is a textually rich experience, beguiling in its vociferous appropriation of styles and artistic intelligence. ‘Lions’ is a typical case in point, described by Pitchfork as “halfway between a singsong schoolyard rhyme and a graveyard blues”, whilst ‘Jamaican’ could be the blueprint to a Timbaland-produced gem with it’s ricocheting drum pattern and intoxicating tape loops. Reflecting on the creative process behind BiRd-BrAiNs, Merrill notes: “It’s a patchwork of sound snippets, of history in a present tense. It is a composer’s commitment to the preservation of stories, however small and unassuming”. As such, tUnE-yArDs weaves a sonic tapestry truly the product of the digital world, where the past, present and future effortlessly bleed into one.
BiRd-BrAiNs was first released on limited edition vinyl and cassette in June 2009, via the Portland-based imprint Marriage Records. In July 2009, tUnE-yArDs signed to 4AD, and a limited edition pressing of BiRd-BrAiNs was released in August 2009. A full worldwide release followed in November of that year, with the autumn 2009 re-mastered edition including two new bonus tracks, ‘Want Me To’ and ‘Real Live Flesh’. Around the same time, Merrill recorded the first instalment of the now revered 4AD Sessions, putting to film a synapse snapping performance that introduced to many the wild and unpredictable world of tUnE-yArDs. Heading out on tour with the Dirty Projectors, her live show began gripping audiences the world over, reaching its pinnacle when Merrill performed with the Plastic Ono Band at L.A.’s Orpheum Theatre in October 2010 alongside Sonic Youth, RZA and Lady Gaga.
Currently in the process of making the follow up to her debut, Merrill’s next bold step forward is due sometime in 2011, the promise of invention the only guarantee.
Listen to tUnE-yArDs:
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