I’ve known Yarn Owl‘s Ted Powers (drums) and Timothy Meinig (bass) since, well, probably 2005. Javier Suarez (vocals and guitar) I met in the years after my 2006 departure. In fact, the only band member I have yet to met is Tyler Armour. So yes, I’ve been following Yarn Owl, virtually, since the beginning. With their first full-length now available, and a planned west-coast visit this coming weekend (see them at Columbia City Theater in Seattle on March 26 and again at Sunset Tavern on the 31st), I sat down with long-time favorite Yarn Owl. The man: Javier. The setting: Facebook messages. Here we go…

Fense: Montana & Caballo is your new record and while it has some similarity to your previous work, it’s also distinctly refreshing and new. How would you define your sound?

Javier: Gosh… I would define our sound as… guitar pop with jangly folk tendencies? I had to think about that for like 10 minutes though.

Fense: The album was self-released, right? Do you have interest in joining a label in the future or would you prefer to put out your music yourself?

Javier: It was self released – except for the cassette, we’re doing that with Leftist Nautical Antiques. Label support is awesome if you are lucky/good enough to get it – we’ve always aspired to get as much help as possible when it comes to getting music into people’s ears, so yeah we would be interested given that it’s a decent, fair deal for us if the opportunity arose.

Fense: Any possibility of vinyl in the near future?

Javier: We toyed with the idea on this album but it just didn’t make sense on paper. We think of ourselves more as a cassette band anyway!

Fense: Now that the band is done with school, what’s in store for the future? And will you be remaining in Pullman or do you plan to relocate to the big city?

Javier: We’re just focusing right now on the next handful of shows we have coming up and a possible KEXP in studio performance. Tim and I have definite plans of moving to Seattle in the next few months but Tyler and Ted are still figuring that out. Tyler is currently in Australia for the spring making wine. I just joined the band Craft Spells on guitar and we’ll be touring the states in April with Beach Fossills, so that is really exciting.

Fense: That’s great! I’ll definitely check out Craft Spells. How did you devise the name Yarn Owl? Is there any significance behind the moniker?

Javier: This is a link to what we refer to as ‘yarn art’… like paintings stitched on to canvas. I had a collection of pieces I had found through out thrift stores a few years ago when the band was starting – a whole wall of yarn art (which was later given to Goodwill by my roomate’s mom – still really upset about that). My favorite piece was the owl – Yarn Owl.

Fense: Who are your biggest musical influences?

Javier: For me the Beatles have always been a huge presence, growing up with a super-fan dad, I am also somewhat of a super fan – having gone to Paul McCartney’s music school for a year in Liverpool when I was 19. As a band, we tend to point to The Helio Sequence, post-rock, pop and whatever is playing on our college station, KZUU.

Fense: How have you seen the music landscape change via social media and mobile phones over the past few years? What do you see being the next big thing?

Javier: Good question. I think when we started about 3 years ago we were kind of leaving the Myspace era, where that was the place people flocked to to find music and I think now its absolutely more blog-centric with places like Pitchfork kind of being kind of like a central hub in a way. I am kind of scroogy when it comes to new technology so I shy away from things like twitter and cell phones with internet on them. But I do think that music culture has shifted to that place where personal, instant connection with bands is what keeps people interested and engaged, whereas I feel like music magazines used to be that place… as for the future of all this, probably just faster, higher technical quality, more content in general, more connected…. all in all one would think they’re good things but I think the value that society places on music as art is diminishing more and more somehow – something to do with disposability – I think we’re just kind of voracious consumers of the stuff and the future looks like it’s facilitating that collective habit. The good thing is that there is always a subcultural reaction to that sort of thing (like vinyl becoming a bigger deal).

Fense: And the slight resurgence (at least in the underground) of the cassette tape, I’m sure. So I left Pullman at the tail end of summer 2006 and from what I’ve heard, the music scene has changed significantly. Tell me a little about the catalyst for this change.

Javier: Oh totally has A LOT to do with Larson Hicks. He started putting on shows in maybe like 2007 or so with bands that were ‘relevant’ through Stereopathic Music, his promotion venture. Since then I’ve seen more initiative from people putting on house shows and venues like the Bell Tower in Pullman bringing bands in on their own (STRFCKR in June?). I think the fact that there are two college towns 7 miles apart is actually starting to kind of show and I am totally pleased with that. The two college stations, KUOI and KZUU have also been a big support with their promotions. I think its a very infectious kind of thing that just kind of snowballed, shows started happening, so bands started forming and playing, so more shows happened, then a venue actually opened, etc. etc. Kind of cool.

Fense: Oh man, that makes me want to go back to Pullman! You mentioned KZUU. Being a former DJ at the station myself, I have to ask – are any of you still involved with KZUU? If so, when and where can we tune in to your show(s)?

Javier: Tim and I stopped doing our shows in December when we finished school – we all had shows at one point but yeah… sadly, no more. Tim can be heard announcing the weather breaks on North West Public Radio across Washington though!

Fense: That’s about it. I just have to say that I really enjoy Montana Y Caballo, and have quite enjoyed the material you have released in the past year or two. I wish you guys the best and truly hope to catch you at a show in the very near future. Play Bellingham, and I’ll be there!

Not surprisingly, this list is filled with EPs by quite a few bands you know and quite a few you probably don’t. Of the ones you don’t know, many are likely from Washington; a quick count leaves me with five bands, or 1/4 of this list. Many of these bands I consider among the most promising artists to surface in 2009. All are worth checking out, and you’ll want to keep an eye on them as we head into 2010.

I titled the above image of my cousin Danny “Over It: 2009″, which is a pretty good summation of the year. It’s been a rough one all around thanks to a shoddy economy, a poor real estate market, and rampant unemployment. But looking back, 2009 was jam-packed with great tunes. And I bought a house, which has been pretty sweet. So, when it comes down to it, 2009 wasn’t half bad.

Here it is, my top 20 EPs of 2009.

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20. The Age Of Anxiety by Virgin Islands

The newest of the EPs on this list is The Age Of Anxiety by Virgin Islands. Following the path of Mike Jaworski’s prior group The Cops, this Seattle band is one to keep an eye on in 2010. They are sure to quickly become a local favorite. Also, this release is a limited print one on 12-inches of vinyl, so snatch it up before it’s too late!

Virgin Islands: The Age Of Anxiety [mp3]

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19. Eering, Creaky EP by The Smile Brigade

With Eering, Creaky EP, Seattle’s The Smile Brigade began to redefine their folk-y sound with pop sensibilities and clever lyrical twists. As they have yet to give us a full LP, The Smile Brigade remains a powerful underground force waiting to be heard beyond the borders of the Pacific Northwest.

The Smile Brigade: Smile And Smile [mp3]

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18. Cathedral With No Eyes EP by Railcars

In the vein of Jamie Stewart’s Xiu Xiu, San Francisco’s Railcars is experimental noise pop at its most eccentric and ferocious. Cathedral With No Eyes is the band’s second EP and it finds them solidifying their now signature freak-out noise-pop sound.

Railcars: Castles [mp3]

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17. Blood Bank EP by Bon Iver

Bon Iver continues Justin Vernon’s pleasantly falsetto folk-pop. A brief four songs, Blood Bank (in my opinion) surpasses For Emma, Forever Ago as the group’s strongest work yet. This EP is a must-have for any collection.

Bon Iver: Blood Bank [mp3]

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16. Early Morning Risers EP by Dinosaur Feathers

Unique harmonies often in falsetto with a front-man that sounds like an early Rivers Cuomo and backed by an electro-freak-folk sound not entirely unlike a mellow Animal Collective, Dinosaur Feathers are easily one of today’s most promising new acts.

Dinosaur Feathers: Cold Arabella [mp3]

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15. Tiny Dots by Yarn Owl

Yarn Owl continues to impress with Tiny Dots, featuring an early favorite “Yarn Blues” and introducing some new ones like “This Old Yarn” and “Without You”. 2010 promises more great things from this Pullman-based band; an EP dubbed Stay Warm. If you missed it, we featured an exclusive track from that forthcoming EP and it’s pretty damn good. To demonstrate this band’s greatness, this cassette release of (I believe) 300 recently sold out.

Yarn Owl: Yarn Blues [mp3]

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14. Higher Than The Stars EP by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart released one of my favorite albums of the year, so it only makes sense that their follow-up EP also be worthy of high praise. “Higher Than The Stars” lacked some of the fuzzy greatness of their self-titled LP, but that title track is just as sweet and sensual as “Young Adult Friction” or “Come Saturday”.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: Higher Than The Stars [mp3]

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13. Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP by Deerhunter

As usual, Deerhunter delivers. Five songs of immense impacting delight. This album picks up where Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. left off, or joins in just before it starts (I cannot decide which is more appropriate). Noise is the new pop and noise pop, for Deerhunter, reigns supreme.

Deerhunter: Rainwater Cassette Exchange [mp3]

* * * * *

12. Exquisite Corpse EP by Warpaint

These three ladies know how to create a good tune. “Stars” is my favorite shoegaze-y track from 2009, and “Billie Holiday” is close behind. The video for “Stars” is one of my favorites of the year and, with sole exception to “Beetles”, this EP is flawless. Anticipate great things in 2010 from Warpaint.

Warpaint: Elephants [mp3]

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11. Phantogram EP by Phantogram

Phantogram’s debut EP hits all the right notes. After being discovered this year, the group was signed to Barsuk. Keep an eye out for Phantogram’s debut EP, Eyelid Movies early next year. Think Ratatat (they hail from the same small New York town) with lyrics.

Phantogram: When I’m Small [mp3]

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10. OKAY by Venice Is Sinking

This extended single includes the two of the most appreciated tracks off Venice Is Sinking’s AZAR. “OKAY” is one of my favorite tracks of 2009, and they revisit it and “Ryan’s Song” in the Henslee Sessions. Along with the album version of the title track, the band rounds out the EP with “Compass” and “Give Up”, both covers of the band OKAY.

Venice Is Sinking: Okay [mp3]

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9. Dear Furies by Virgin Of The Birds

It had been a few years since Virgin Of The Birds gave us Mixed Choir, but 2009 saw them putting out two EPs. Both are outstanding, but Dear Furies took the cake for me. Jon Rooney’s tracks “Spanish Accusations”, “Baby Let Me Trace You” and “Magic & Sincere” were what did it, though Every Rival has some great tunes as well (“I Loved John” and “Ilona, You Should Still Be My Vampire Attendant”).

Virgin Of The Birds: Spanish Accusations [mp3]

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8. Fall Be Kind EP by Animal Collective

Fall Be Kind finds Animal Collective again becoming more accessible to a wider audience. Without the dissonance and grating shrieks of their early work, Animal Collective has tamed and matured, but still carries a ferocious bite.

Animal Collective: What Would I Want? Sky [Stream]

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7. Life Of Leisure EP by Washed Out

A single session of songs as a band, and that may just be all we get from Washed Out due to settling down. The primary man behind this quite mesmerizing group set out to make music a bit different from what he had before, and the result was one of the year’s best EPs.

Washed Out: Feel It All Around [mp3]

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6. Survival Strategies In A Modern World EP by Liechtenstein

There was a void in music after the demise of the short-lived Vancouver, BC group The Organ; that being a Smiths/Morrissey influenced indie pop girl group. Liechtenstein fills that gap (kinda) and includes lead vocals as deep as those of Katie Sketch. Liechtenstein’s music isn’t nearly as pointed as that by The Organ, but it’s just as good (if not better).

Liechtenstein: Roses In The Park [mp3]

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5. EP by Air Waves

They may be from New York, but Air Waves has that sunny California sound. Their acoustic pop made waves (heh) this year and it’s easy to hear why – these songs are pure and fun and easy to love. “Keys” is a quick favorite, but given time you’ll find a special place in your heart for every song on this EP.

Air Waves: Keys [mp3]

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4. Hollow Home EP by Bagheera

Listening to Hollow Home, I’m reminded of Grizzly Bear. But where it took Grizzly Bear three albums to really make an impact on me (outside a track here and there), Bagheera does it with a single four-song EP. This is an absolute must-hear.

Bagheera: Skeleton Leaf [mp3]

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3. Unfaithful by Charles Leo Gebhardt IV

Like me, this dude sports a big red mustache. Charles Leo Gebhardt IV is, along with The Banyans, Seattle’s best underground artist. Unfaithful proves it with powerful tracks like “Look Out, Look In”, the title track, and “Lake Serene”. Hopefully 2010 will see Gebhardt giving us his debut LP, because I for one cannot wait to hear more.

Charles Leo Gebhardt IV: Unfaithful [mp3]

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2. Heatwave EP by Total Babe

What a great new band! Total Babe gets my vote as one of the most promising bands of the year. These kids are young and filled with promise. For their seemingly super young age, their musical abilities and lyrical crafts are par none. Every song on this EP gets an A+++.

Total Babe: Bearbones [mp3]

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1. We Swim You Jump EP by We Swim You Jump

This is an easy pick for EP of the year – We Swim You Jump has dominated my playlist since I discovered the band many months ago. There’s not much more to say about this band that I haven’t already. I’ll reiterate: perfect pitches, passionate harmonies, and some of the most mellow yet moving pop you’ll hear from 2009.

We Swim You Jump: Sharks [mp3]

FensePost is excited to provide you with an exclusive sneak peek off the new Yarn Owl EP, Stay Warm, scheduled for release early next year. “Bicycle” is the name of the song, and it’s their catchiest track since “Yarn Blues”. Yarn Owl’s jangly guitars and dreamy folk-pop is emphasized by harmony vocals that echo in the band’s foreground.

This song comes with Yarn Owl’s first music video, featuring stop-motion photography. The concept is simple, mimicking blinking lights or spinning wheels. I like to think of it as a construction paper version of lights during a live performance. With it, Yarn Owl remains Pullman’s best kept musical secret.

Yarn Owl: Bicycle [mp3]

With a heavy vocal echo and reverb cranked to eleven, Yarn Owl presents seven tracks of undulated upbeat pop. “Yarn Blues” kick things off; it’s a track we’ve heard before, but Yarn Owl gives it a revisit by speeding things up a bit and treating it with the reverb jangle heavy throughout Tiny Dots. One thing is for sure: this isn’t likely what you were expecting, coming from a cassette tape. Tiny Dots label Leftist Nautical Antiques is prone to release things in this form, and it’s almost perfect – the pop Yarn Owl creates has a classic feel to it, be it late 80s or early 90s.

“Stay In Tune With The Moon” continues in the direction of wholesome pop ripe with harmony. “Without You” takes things up a notch with a near power pop jangle to the guitars. “Rubik’s Cube” flirts between light guitar riffs and a heavier strum; altering time as well as volume as the song continues. Complex riffs give “The Wind” its edge, while on closing track “This Old Yarn” it’s the repetitive vocals that allow Tiny Dots to bow out on yet another high point.

Frontman Javier Suarez is a master of melody – he demonstrates this right off the bat in “Yarn Blues” and on through to “This Old Yarn”. The vocals are unique and fun, and the vocal patterns are such of a much more mature band. It’s a trait that runs its course throughout the band, from guitars (exceptional playing throughout the EP, whether busting out a complex riff or selecting the right chord progression for a powerful strum) to percussion (pointed with all the right moves; not afraid to focus on toms to keep things deep, yet willing to ride the cymbals for a more chaotic effect).

Tiny Dots cements Yarn Owl as an up-and-coming force. As if we did not already know – they’ve shared the stage with some of the greatest bands from across the Northwest region, from Fruit Bats and Grand Archives, to this year’s favorites including Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band and Ah Holly Fam’ly. And the list doesn’t end there. With another EP, Stay Warm, announced for early next year, we can all expect more greatness from these folks sooner than later.

Yarn Owl: Yarn Blues [mp3]

Yarn Owl: This Old Yarn [mp3]

Leftist Nautical Antiques [Cassette Tape, 2009]

1. Yarn Blues
2. Stay In Tune With The Moon
3. Without You
4. Traveling
5. Rubik’s Cube
6. The Wind
7. This Old Yarn

I’ve fallen in love with “Yarn Blues” by Yarn Owl, a small pop trio out of my college town of Pullman, WA. The three attend Washington State University (my Alma Mater) and include on percussion Ted Powers (Ether Hour) and on bass Tim Meinig (Band Of Horses, Run River Run) and on guitar/vocals Javier Suarez. Javier’s demo, Note, Beat, Word Collection landed on my promo rack via a mutual friend.

What makes an artist like Suarez great is his ability to write crafty tunes that aren’t your standard form of indie pop; they’re light and overwhelmingly acoustic, but though he includes traits common in folk it’s not folk-pop. Furthermore, his vocal styling is unique and unfettered by modern influence. There is an amazing amount of creativity here that’s unparalleled.

With such a solid solo demo, it’s no surprise that several tunes have found their way into the Yarn Owl live rotation. “Paths Do Cross” is a tune the trio plays live, and it’s easy to hear why. “Me Fui” borders on a Devendra Banhard influence where other tunes like “Morning Rise” hint slightly of Page France. Yet one of my favorites is “What’s The Use In That?” which includes a rare (until you get to the second half of the demo) distorted electric guitar breakdown.

As a songwriter, it’s great to hear such young and seemingly unknown talent. It’s a trait that will likely remain only a short time longer, as the potential found in Suarez, as well as in his two cohorts Meinig and Powers, is extensive. Yet promise doesn’t seem to be the right term – Suarez is beyond merely showing promise. He’s there, he just needs to break free. And that is what I believe will come sooner than later.

UPDATE 3/26: Yarn Owl is now four… Tyler Armour is the additional member and plays second guitar.

Javier Suarez: Paths Do Cross [mp3]

Javier Suarez: What’s The Use In That [mp3]

Javier Suarez: Morning Rise [mp3]

Written by Fense

Yarn Owl is another group from Pullman (the town, not the band) musical mastermind Ted Powers, who again can be found on percussion. Like his prior concoction Ether Hour, Yarn Owl is distinctly pop. But where Ether Hour dropped in some folk elements, Yarn Owl is a bit more jangly.

The band features Javier on light, lovable vocals and Tim (ex-Band Of Horses drummer) on bass and Tyler on guitars. Songs like “Yarn Blues” and “Piece Of The Pie” fit the pop mold, but some jazzy riffs slip in on “Traveling”.

Yarn Owl: Yarn Blues [mp3]

Now for a show plug… Yarn Owl will be playing a few shows across Washington in the next few months, so if you’re in Pullman, Seattle or Spokane, keep an eye out for them. Here are the upcoming dates for ya:

Pullman: August 27
Cougfest at Washington State University (GO COUGS!)

Seattle: August 29
The Tractor Tavern

Spokane: November 22
The HUB at Whitworth College
*with Throw Me The Statue

If you’re in Spokane, you won’t want to miss that one! And if you catch the Seattle show, come say hi. I’ll definitely be there!