River Whyless: Artist To Watch
In the spirit of music discovery which guides WFUV, our DJs offer their favorite new artists on the cusp of making it to the next level.
While River Whyless, whose name comes from an E. E. Cummings poem, might be considered indie folk, the breadth of this Asheville, North Carolina, quartet’s music is pretty broad.
In the opening moments of “Baby Brother,” the lead track on We All the Light, they introduce us to their supple, three-part harmonies, which they wrap around angular melodies with a percussive undercurrent and a bit of an Eastern accent. It’s not necessary to listen to them in a lotus position, but their captivating, original sound is truly transcendent.