Biography
Brooklyn outfit Yeasayer weaves together strands of pop, rock, Middle Eastern and African traditions, folk, and dub into a single, unpredictable sonic path. Their 2007 debut full-length, All Hour Cymbals, invited audiences to think while moving, and the record quickly earned critical praise alongside online attention. By the time Odd Blood appeared in 2010, the band had shifted toward heavier use of synthesized textures and dance-oriented production, landing their first Billboard 200 entry. On the fifth studio album, Erotic Reruns, released in 2019, the same playful spirit remained, now channeled through a leaner, more focused approach.
Vocalist and keyboardist Chris Keating and vocalist and guitarist Anand Wilder both grew up in Baltimore, sharpening their voices in a barbershop quartet and performing together in the high-school group Sic Transit before heading to separate colleges. After reuniting in New York, the pair began developing the project that became Yeasayer; bassist Ira Wolf Tuton, Wilder’s cousin, came aboard next, and drummer Luke Fasano completed the lineup in May 2006.
Work on All Hour Cymbals proceeded steadily until its October 2007 release, which sparked both press acclaim and widespread blog discussion. Extensive touring and festival slots followed, allowing the group to refine its combination of live playing and sampled elements. For the follow-up, Yeasayer decamped to Woodstock, New York, renting percussionist Jerry Marotta’s house; Marotta himself replaced Fasano on drums for several tracks. Issued early in 2010, Odd Blood surpassed the debut commercially, reaching number 63 on the Billboard 200.
Recording for the third album, Fragrant World, began in fall 2011 and continued the atmospheric direction of its predecessor. Released in summer 2012, the set featured contributions from violinist Kishi Bashi and Elliot Bergman of NOMO, climbing into the upper half of the U.S. album chart. A live document, Good Evening Washington D.C., Live at 9.30 Club, surfaced later in 2013. Early 2016 brought the first singles from Amen & Goodbye, issued that April on Mute Records. Keating, Wilder, and Tuton remained the core, augmented on the LP by guests Suzzy Roche of the Roches and guitarist Steve Marion, known as Delicate Steve, with additional production from Atoms for Peace’s Joey Waronker. Written and produced solely by the central trio, the next album, Erotic Reruns, drew partial inspiration from the political climate after the 2016 election and appeared on Yeasayer Records in 2019.
Vocalist and keyboardist Chris Keating and vocalist and guitarist Anand Wilder both grew up in Baltimore, sharpening their voices in a barbershop quartet and performing together in the high-school group Sic Transit before heading to separate colleges. After reuniting in New York, the pair began developing the project that became Yeasayer; bassist Ira Wolf Tuton, Wilder’s cousin, came aboard next, and drummer Luke Fasano completed the lineup in May 2006.
Work on All Hour Cymbals proceeded steadily until its October 2007 release, which sparked both press acclaim and widespread blog discussion. Extensive touring and festival slots followed, allowing the group to refine its combination of live playing and sampled elements. For the follow-up, Yeasayer decamped to Woodstock, New York, renting percussionist Jerry Marotta’s house; Marotta himself replaced Fasano on drums for several tracks. Issued early in 2010, Odd Blood surpassed the debut commercially, reaching number 63 on the Billboard 200.
Recording for the third album, Fragrant World, began in fall 2011 and continued the atmospheric direction of its predecessor. Released in summer 2012, the set featured contributions from violinist Kishi Bashi and Elliot Bergman of NOMO, climbing into the upper half of the U.S. album chart. A live document, Good Evening Washington D.C., Live at 9.30 Club, surfaced later in 2013. Early 2016 brought the first singles from Amen & Goodbye, issued that April on Mute Records. Keating, Wilder, and Tuton remained the core, augmented on the LP by guests Suzzy Roche of the Roches and guitarist Steve Marion, known as Delicate Steve, with additional production from Atoms for Peace’s Joey Waronker. Written and produced solely by the central trio, the next album, Erotic Reruns, drew partial inspiration from the political climate after the 2016 election and appeared on Yeasayer Records in 2019.
Albums
Singles
Live
