Tune-Yards

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Tune-Yards

Tune-Yards performing at Café de la Danse in Paris, France on June 2, 2011
Background information
Origin Connecticut, United States
Genres Lo-fi, R&B, experimental, Wonky pop, Afro-beat
Instruments Vocals, percussion, ukulele, drums [1]
Years active 2006–present
Labels 4AD, Marriage
Associated acts Sister Suvi, Beep
Website tune-yards.com

Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs)[2] is the music project of New England native Merrill Garbus. When performing live, Garbus creates drum loops on the spot, and layers these with ukulele, voice, and electric bass (played by Nate Brenner).[3] The Whokill (stylized as w h o k i l l) tour has added a saxophone section.

Contents

[edit] History and work

The first Tune-Yards album, Bird-Brains (stylized as BiRd-BrAiNs) was originally self-released by Garbus on recycled cassette tape. It was recorded using only a handheld voice recorder.[4] A limited edition vinyl was released in June 2009, via the Portland-based imprint Marriage Records.[5] In July 2009, it was announced that Tune-Yards had signed to 4AD, and a limited edition pressing of Bird-Brains was released on August 17, 2009.[6] A full worldwide release followed on November 16, 2009 (and November 17 in North America). The autumn 2009 pressing was remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright, and includes two new bonus tracks: "Want Me To" and "Real Live Flesh."

A second album, Whokill (stylized as w h o k i l l), was released on April 19, 2011.[7] A single from it, "Bizness", came out in February 2011. It was produced by Garbus and engineered by Eli Crews at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California. Applying the live approach to her studio work for the first time, Garbus works with bass player Nate Brenner, who co-wrote some of the album's songs. Comparing the act to Sonic Youth, Frontier Psychiatrist said, "if Bird-Brains was Garbus' Evol, a record bursting with musical ideas that attempted to subvert the notion of song, who kill is her Sister, a record that embraces the traditional pop song as a vehicle to convey those ideas."[8] The album as well as singles "Bizness" and "Gangsta" received mention on many top 2011 album and song lists, including Time Magazine [9] [10], Rolling Stone [11] [12], Spin Magazine [13], and the New York Times [14] .

Her song "Fiya" is featured on a 2010 commercial for the Blackberry Torch, while the song "Gangsta" has been used in the television shows Weeds and The Good Wife.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
BE (Vl)
[15]		 UK
[15]		 US
[16]		 US Alt.
[16]
2009 Bird-Brains - - - -
2011 who kill
  • Released: April 19, 2011
  • Label: 4AD
 49 135 148 19

[edit] Singles & EPs

  • "Sunlight"
    • August 2009 – 4AD (promo-only CD-R)
    1. "Sunlight" (Edit) – 3:17
  • "Hatari"
    • November 2, 2009 – 4AD, AD2934 (7" vinyl and download)
    1. "Hatari" – 5:43
    2. "Hap-B" – 3:22
    3. "Hatari" (The Small Is Beautiful Remix) – 4:20
  • Bird-Droppings
    • November 3, 2009 – 4AD, EAD2938 (U.S.-only download EP)
    1. "Want Me To" – 4:24
    2. "Real Live Flesh" – 3:33
    3. "Hap-B" – 3:22
    4. "Hatari" (The Small Is Beautiful Remix) – 4:20
  • "Real Live Flesh"
    • February 8, 2010 – 4AD, AD3X11 (7" vinyl and download)
    1. "Real Live Flesh" – 3:33
    2. "Youth" – 4:45
  • "Bizness"
    • February 11, 2011 - 4AD
    1. "Bizness"

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://allmusic.com/album/w-h-o-k-i-l-l-r2145940/credits
  2. ^ "World of Wonder: How Merrill Garbus left the theatre and took the stage.". The New Yorker. May 2, 2011. http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2011/05/02/110502crmu_music_frerejones. 
  3. ^ "New York Times Music Review: Putting it Together". nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/arts/music/08tune.html. Retrieved October 7, 2009. 
  4. ^ "Ink19 Tune-Yards: Master of Puppets". ink19.com. http://www.ink19.com/issues/may2009/interviews/tuneYards.html. Retrieved May 1, 2009. 
  5. ^ "Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains (LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Tune-Yards-Bird-Brains/release/1779887. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains (CD, Album, Lim) at Discogs". Discogs.com. August 9, 2009. http://www.discogs.com/Tune-Yards-Bird-Brains/release/1953417. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
  7. ^ "tUnE-yArDs official website". http://tune-yards.com/. Retrieved April 17, 2011. 
  8. ^ "What’s A Girl To Do?: A Review of tUnE-yArDs’ w h o k i l l". Frontier Psychiatrist. April 11, 2011. http://frontpsych.com/2011/04/11/whats-a-girl-to-do-a-review-of-tune-yards-w-h-o-k-i-l-l/. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  9. ^ "Time Magazine Top 10 albums of 2011 (#6)". http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101364_2101588,00.html. 
  10. ^ "Time Magazine Top 10 Songs of 2011 (#6)". http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101365_2101669,00.html. 
  11. ^ "Rolling Stone Magazine 50 Best Albums of 2011 (#13)". http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-albums-of-2011-20111207/tune-yards-whokill-19691231. 
  12. ^ "Rolling Stone Magazine 50 Best Singles of 2011 (#32)". http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-singles-of-2011-20111207/tune-yards-bizness-19691231. 
  13. ^ "Spin Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2011 (#30)". http://www.spin.com/articles/spins-50-best-albums-2011?page=0%2C4. 
  14. ^ "New York Times Top 10 Pop Albums of 2011 (#7)". http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/arts/music/music-of-heartache-mortality-and-success.html?_r=1. 
  15. ^ a b "Chart Stats - TUnE-yArDs". ultratop.be. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Tune-Yards. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 
  16. ^ a b "Chart Places tUnE-yArDs". Lescharts.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/tune-yards/chart-history/1080735. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 

[edit] External links

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