Wye Oak – Civilian

Civilian opens with a blanket of warm, fuzzy noise enveloping background chat, ushering the listener into Wye Oak’s world gently but resolutely. A lovely world it is too: Two Small Deaths echoes the woozy tone of Asleep In The Back if performed by Beach House; The Alter opens with singer Jenn Wasner recalling Annie Lennox’s vampire serenade, before the instrumentation settles into a Grizzly Bear groove; Holy Holy twiddles the amp dials, raising the volume one moment only to drop it away to a whisper come the middle eight; while Dogs Eyes could be a drowsier Throwing Muses.

The opening run gives them an impressive four for four, and though the final score isn’t quite full-marks (thanks to some comparatively un-eventful stretches in the latter half), it remains an impressive tally. They’re not reconfiguring the musical landscape, but like the ancient tree they’re named after, they’re putting down lasting roots. [Chris Buckle]