Sometimes living in the Triangle can be a bit overwhelming. Soaking in so many new, hip acts, it’s hard to remember that there’s an entire state’s worth of incredible music to be paying attention to. It leads to some mesmerizing artists flying quietly under the radar in the Triangle’s music scene. However, when you release music as rich and ornate as River Whyless it’s hard not to make people pay attention.
River Whyless has taken the genre of folk music, one that many may feel has been driven into the ground by over-played and super-hyped acts like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers, and have crafted songs that are as fresh and unique as they are rustic and traditional. Live shows may find the act shouting into violins for melodic textures, using bicycle wheels as percussive instruments, and frequent trade-offs of vocal duties. All of these facets come together to build one surprisingly cohesive but immensely diverse sound.
Throughout the hour, River Whyless performed three new tracks from their recent self-titled EP and discussed how a new approach to recording altered the sound of this release. Listen below for our full conversation and some gorgeous live takes on “Life Crisis,” “Maple Sap” and “Miles of Skyline.”