Baltimore's Wye Oak are a young duo (Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack) that play swirling, haunting and delicately layered songs (using guitars, drums, keys and strings: they both sing) that sometimes sounds soft and somber and sometimes just rock out. This band is like a cross between Beach House (their neighbors), Headlights, Asobi Seksu, and a little bit of Yo La Tengo. And sometimes Wasner's voice sounds similar to Cat Power. So yeah, a lot going on here.

Merge Records (Arcade Fire, Spoon, Neutral Milk Hotel and like everyone else popular since 1993) were smitten enough with this duo's strangely melodic songs (did I hear a saw being played?) that they decided to reissue their hard-to-find debut (from back when they were called Monarch before legality prevailed). Now that's what I call validation. Wye Oak are an easy listen---easy like playing the Orioles --- easy like a Sunday morning.

Wye Oak play Silverlake Lounge, on Thursday, April 30th.