I'm not sure if I've just been watching too much History Channel, but I'm starting to think that Mike Ersing might be in contact with extraterrestrials. As the leader of Yes Yes, he sings songs about ascension and the stars all-too convincingly, with all too much compelling purpose, and it's hard to not feel entranced when listening.
Yes Yes' latest offering, Dogstar! Heal Your Weighlessness!, is some of the artist's most transcendental, and downright enjoyable, music yet. And to capture it, Ersing traveled from his home in Buffalo to Savannah, Georgia and crammed 20 or so backup vocalists into a tiny bedroom studio for two months. The result is a cross between baroque pop, gospel, and folk, with a genuine, collective feel. You can hear the group joking around and hollering affirmations to each other during songs, and at the center, Ersing is strumming like mad, whistling, and belting out soulful glissandos and vibratos. It's like Comus being fronted by Andrew Bird or folk-era Marc Bolan.
Dogstar! (which is available on iTunes) jumps freely between styles without any disruption of it's coherency, from the tambourine chant “Shaking Wind,” sung as a round by mostly female vocalists, to the mad beat poetry frenzy of “Moksha” - an homage to Dylan's “Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie,” with a machine-gun delivery that would make Busta Rhymes' head explode. Even on “A Poem, by Sean Cabral,” which is reminiscent of John Peel's reading at the end of “Frowning Atahuallpa,” there is a sense of celestial uniformity to the record.
There's a couple covers here, too. The album's title song is actually just Ersing's rendition of “Take Me to the River,” though he adds his own unpredictable touch and is backed by a bona fide southern gospel choir. And, on the quality spectrum, Yes Yes' version of “True Love Will Find You In The End,” sits comfortably in between Beck's version and Daniel Johnston's original.
Despite the resurgence of chamber pop over the past few years, Dogstar! stands out for coming across as intensely inspired, and the warm, inclusive feel of the collective invites the listener to leave their ego at the door and join in. And it might be in part because of the trend that Yes Yes is starting to turn heads (as in this Consequence of Sound mention). But while many new-minstrel acts probably got their start after groups like The Decemberists or Fleet Foxes started to receive favorable reviews, there is an inescapable authenticity here, like the sound is informed more by ancient astronauts than Upper West Coast faulk bands.
Rating: A
Damn! Steve Gordon, Thank You. ! You Have To Sing With us Next Time! ,! (from yesyes & his/her interdimensional beings that Are)
Couldn't stand either the guy or his music...
Great review...really good descriptions of both the tangable and intangable aspects of this record!
Why Go OUT of your way to be Mean. & Then Not Take Responsibility for it? Oh because who ever you are you want to "hurt my feelings" & Be Invisible about it too? Scaredy cat wants to get away with it without mommy finding out Who He Is? Who did the Naughty-bad, wrote on the Internet Page? Ha.ha.ha. Thank you second anonymous I Agree, very well written. First Anonymous You should spend more time Taking the Time to Read about people You CAN Stand.
If I have a Reverse-Love Slave-Witness I will Forgive him & so Release him from his self imposed duty of riding his pony in my Lawnchair ,with insults, I will Love him. & Cherish his Strange affection.Com <3 <3 Forever ahmen Love you Buffalo
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