Album Review: Wood Ear - Electric Alone

Wood Ear is not a prolific band. In the last two years, they’ve released just 11 songs including the four songs on their new EP, Electric Alone.

Electric Alone kind of plays like an epilogue to Steeple Vultures as it compliments that record nicely. Steeple Vultures was a deeply haunted album brimming with emotion and atmosphere. It’d make you sweat and then give you the chills. Electric Alone has a new energy to borrow the title of the closing track.

Wood Ear keeps the tempo up for the entire EP. These songs are more in line with tracks like “Wasteland” and “Leghold” from Steeple Vultures. Nate Tarr’s vocals still have that anxious slacker sound, but it feels like he’s having a bit more fun here.

Wood Ear to release 'Electric Alone' in April, listen to "Pack of Cards"

After releasing their first album as a full band in 2012 with Steeple Vultures (check out the review HERE), Wood Ear is back next month with a new four-song EP. The EP is titled Electric Alone and will be released on April 22 via Churchkey Records.

Check out the full track list below and stream and/or download the EP's opening track "Pack of Cards."

Wood Ear will celebrate the release of Electric Alone with a show at The Pinhook in Durham on Friday, May 2. Stuart Edwards will open.

Album Review: Wood Ear - Steeple Vultures

“Been the hottest summer that I’ve known,” begins lead singer Nate Tarr on the opening title track of Wood Ear’s newest album, Steeple Vultures, and the band makes the listener sweat.

“Steeple Vultures” swelters. The humid harmonica and guitar radiate thick waves of heat. Like summer in North Carolina, the pressure from the warmth can seem comforting until it begins to burn. Booming drums and sharp guitars turn the second half of the track into a scorcher.

New music from Wood Ear - "Leave My Walls"

Durham folk rock band Wood Ear will release its first release in five years this summer. The band's Steeple Vultures EP will be available June 12 on Churchkey Records

Wood Ear will play a release party at Pinhook on Saturday, June 9, joined by Spider Bags and WOWOLFOL. Tickets are $5 and the show kicks off at 10 p.m.

Stream or download the song "Leave My Walls" from Steeple Vultures below.