Wye Oak

Sun., March 28, 9 p.m., $10, with Shearwater and Hospital Ships, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.

by Patrick Rapa

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Published: Mar 23, 2010

rock/pop/folk

Baltimore folk-pop duo Wye Oak knows when to get pretty and when to go full-on gorgeous. Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack made bold statements with 2008's If Children and 2009's The Knot — two albums adored for their resounding rock melodies and artful production decisions. The quiet stuff was alluring, the louder and rawer parts were ravishing. For their new EP, My Neighbor/My Creator (Merge), they've turned the reins over to outside producers for the first time — Chris and Mickey Freeland (of Oxes, among other rock projects) — and the result is something more layered and anxious, but not overcomplicated. "Emmylou" is a flat-out rocker, and "I Hope You Die" is a wonderfully dark mini-opus. Only the remix of "That I Do," a spooky favorite from The Knot, is taken too far down the studio bunny hole, with reverb, wailing ambient sirens and a ghastly hip-hop verse dropped on top. Baby, you don't have to try so hard. 

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