Woods
Artist: Woods
Hails From: Brooklyn, NY
Musical Style: Indie, Folk, Psychedelic
For Fans of: Pavement, Neil Young, Bon Iver
Why you should check them out:
Like a ghost in the machine, Woods make haunting campfire songs complete with outdoor recordings and eerily falsetto harmonies. This experimental outfit from the boys who brought you the label Fuck It Tapes marks an earnest and quietly arresting collection of folk freak outs and acid tinged lullabies. Their latest, Songs of Shame, is the most versatile and eclectic album of this band’s tenure, and an accessible gateway to their weighty ambiance.
Background Check:
One of the definite perks of living with an avid record collector is the continual influx of weekly 12″ boxes brimming with everything from the familiar to the most obscure albums imaginable. On one of my all too familiar “Who are we listening to?” inquiries two years back while listening to the song “All About Kitty”, my then roommate proceeded to enlighten me to the stylings of Brooklyn based duo Woods. And while their folksy tribute to cats made me ask, it was their straightforward folk melodies that kept me coming back for more.
The real appeal of Woods lies within their casual approach to songwriting, and their apparent complete lack of pretension. Woods’ tracks may standout as the epitome of lo-fi, but the songs are steady and sturdy, reeling you in with their layered falsetto’s and near grunge edge. Formed by Jeremy Earl and Christian DeRoeck while performing in their primary band Meneguar, Woods released their first full length At Rear House in 2007 followed by How to Survive that same year. Countless shows as both Woods and Meneguar later, the duo has now expanded to four, completing the lineup for their newest and fullest release to date in Songs of Shame. With their new album retaining the characteristic lo-fi qualities embedded in all of their releases, I can safely say that their live shows sound even better, if only due to the enhanced sound equipment and lack of forest settings.
Where you can find them in Cyberspace:
On Tour: