The fourth full length from Denver based The Yawpers (Bloodshot Records) is a rollicking slice of shambolic rock and roll titled Human Question; this record rattles, shakes and riffs with a spirit reminiscent of The Replacements anything goes excitement.
Where the groups last album (2017’s Boy In A Well) was a messy (in a good way) concept album, here guitarists Nate Cook, Jesse Parmet, and dynamic drummer Alex Koshak tracked live in one room of Chicago’s Electrical Audio with Alex Hall (Cactus Blossoms, JD McPherson) helping out. Cook wrote the songs from a therapeutic standpoint, dealing with more worldly issues of pain/loss/hope, these emotions mixed with the predominantly live feeling gives the record energy as the different styles and sounds blend together into a warm buzzing blanket.
Not everything is cuddly however, this group can get loud in a hurry as opener “Child of Mercy” mixes emotional heart on a plate storytelling over clanging noise rock lead guitar work from Parmet; the angular fuzz-driven riffs shoot in and out with vibrant tone, stopping and starting the chaos. More typical blues rock comes in the form of the grooving “Reason to Believe” but The Yawpers work best when they are on the fringes of convention.
“Forgiveness Through Pain” spastically rambles like folk, punk and metal had a threesome out on Highway 61, as the title track excellently uses Cook’s falsetto vocals and shaking maracas around churning riffs and a light groove, hypnotically beautiful while questioning. “Earn Your Heaven” is one of the most successful tracks on an incredibly solid record as the trio try on off-kilter Stooges sounding rock with killer drum runs from Shomberg as laser-like guitar effects and Wurlitzer warp the sound.
“I Can’t Wait” is galloping catchy Midwestern alt-rock, “Dancing on My Knees” swaggers managing to intercut howls and painful poetic lyrics, “Man as Ghost” goes down smooth and “Carry Me” digs in for a soulful gospel approach which finds Hall helping out again on piano over a swelling march complete with blowing saxophone straight towards heaven.
Cook’s artistic lyrics tend to become buried with the cascading roil around them, but the energy and blending/bleeding is part of The Yawpers appeal. The group’s enticing mix of folk, blues, noise, and good old fashion raw rock and roll is not new, but their twists, emotional singing, and willingness to distort musical conventions makes Human Question an engaging listen throughout.
Photo credit: Megan Holmes
