Biography
A rootsy trio steeped in blues yet driven by a shadowy, punk-edged current, the Yawpers deliver punchy tracks that confront culture and class alongside the private struggles of everyday people. Their material shifts between hushed closeness and sweeping grandeur, anchored by sharp narratives that carry undeniable authenticity. The group’s debut full-length, American Man from 2015, leaned into raw roots textures shaped by their gritty rock-blues hybrid, whereas the follow-up Boy in a Well two years later emerged as a boisterous yet articulate concept piece alternating between reflective acoustic passages and explosive rock segments. By 2019’s Human Question the band had returned to direct, guitar-driven rock while keeping their songcraft keenly observant and emotionally charged.
The Yawpers coalesced in Boulder, Colorado during 2011 when vocalist-guitarist Nate Cook and guitarist-backing vocalist Jesse Parmet sought a fresh outlet following the dissolution of Ego vs. Id. Initially envisioned as a restrained acoustic endeavor, the project gained traction after the pair tested themselves in Denver’s tougher venues; drummer Adam Perry soon joined, electric guitars replaced the acoustic ones, and the ensemble forged its signature approach. Drawing their name from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and its line “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world,” they established a local following and issued the debut single “Savage Blue” b/w “Heart on a String” in December 2011. Adam Perry departed in April 2012 to prioritize family time, with James Hale assuming drum duties; six months afterward the trio unveiled the three-song EP Capon Crusade and began relentless touring. By mid-2013 the band had settled in Denver, intensified its road schedule, and eventually logged nearly two hundred shows annually. In 2015, now featuring drummer Noah Shomberg, the Yawpers performed at the SXSW music conference, where Bloodshot Records—Chicago’s bold roots-music imprint—took notice and offered a contract. Produced by Johnny Hickman of Cracker, American Man arrived in October 2015. The ambitious concept album Boy in a Well followed in 2017, helmed by Tommy Stinson of the Replacements. August 2018 brought another personnel shift as Alex Koshak took over the drum chair ahead of work on the next record, the hard-charging Human Question issued by Bloodshot in April 2019.
The Yawpers coalesced in Boulder, Colorado during 2011 when vocalist-guitarist Nate Cook and guitarist-backing vocalist Jesse Parmet sought a fresh outlet following the dissolution of Ego vs. Id. Initially envisioned as a restrained acoustic endeavor, the project gained traction after the pair tested themselves in Denver’s tougher venues; drummer Adam Perry soon joined, electric guitars replaced the acoustic ones, and the ensemble forged its signature approach. Drawing their name from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and its line “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world,” they established a local following and issued the debut single “Savage Blue” b/w “Heart on a String” in December 2011. Adam Perry departed in April 2012 to prioritize family time, with James Hale assuming drum duties; six months afterward the trio unveiled the three-song EP Capon Crusade and began relentless touring. By mid-2013 the band had settled in Denver, intensified its road schedule, and eventually logged nearly two hundred shows annually. In 2015, now featuring drummer Noah Shomberg, the Yawpers performed at the SXSW music conference, where Bloodshot Records—Chicago’s bold roots-music imprint—took notice and offered a contract. Produced by Johnny Hickman of Cracker, American Man arrived in October 2015. The ambitious concept album Boy in a Well followed in 2017, helmed by Tommy Stinson of the Replacements. August 2018 brought another personnel shift as Alex Koshak took over the drum chair ahead of work on the next record, the hard-charging Human Question issued by Bloodshot in April 2019.
Albums
Live
