Tune-Yards (4AD)

Tune-Yards, the offbeat musical project led by singer Merrill Garbus and bassist Nate Brenner, has evolved from the experimental roots of their 2011 4AD label debut, WHOKILL, into a dynamic force in the Indie/Pop scene. Based in Oakland, CA, Tune-Yards has released a diverse array of albums, including Nikki Nack, I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life, and 2021’s Sketchy, showing their ability to blend genres and tackle complex themes. After a four-year break, and the birth of their child, the duo of Garbus and Brenner has returned with their sixth studio album, Better Dreaming.

After taking some time off to focus on what they wanted to do musically and sonically, Tune-Yards found a way to make Better Dreaming one of their funkiest, most innovative Art/Pop offerings to date. With this new release, Tune-Yards continues to push artistic boundaries while also delivering a sound that is accessible and inviting. As they did on their earlier albums, Tune-Yards returned to making this record primarily as a duo. All but one of the songs are built around Garbus’ drum looping and rhythm building. The songwriting also came to the couple with unusual ease. They asked themselves what would happen if they simply let the songs flow out, following any trail they wished, while lyrically, they delved into themes of vulnerability, resilience, and community. The result is an eclectic sonic patchwork.

The standout track “Swarm” is driven by a super funky bassline, a dance beat, and a smooth, R&B-style chorus. Garbus and Brenner’s three-year-old can be heard singing on the fun sing-along tune “Limelight,” which was born from dancing together as a family to George Clinton and sounds like it could have been a dance floor hit in the 1970s. “Perpetual Motion” taps into psychedelia and builds to a hypnotic crescendo, and the uplifting "How Big Is the Rainbow" encourages collective joy and unity.

The album’s focus track, the introspective “Heartbreak,” is getting lots of support from KGSR-HD2, KCLC, Radio Milwaukee, WRLT, WFPK and many more, while peaking at #36 on the JBE Top 200 chart. Other stations have been spinning “Limelight” and “How Big Is the Rainbow.” At press time, the album had reached #10 on the JBE Non-Comm Albums chart. 

Tune-Yards announced a U.S. headline tour this fall, with newly added September dates kicking off in Washington D.C. on September 22 at the Howard Theatre. The  band also will play WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival on September 20. These fall shows will mark the final leg of their U.S. touring before heading overseas for a U.K. and European headline tour in November.