Artist - Why?
Album - Eskimo Snow
Label - Tomlab

You may be one of those listeners who believe that a singer should, well… sing… In that case, Why? may not be your ideal band.

With a sound similar to They Might Be Giants, Why? are a band who throw ‘spoken word with a tune’ on top of complex songs – it allows Yoni Wolf, lead man, to elaborate darker, deeper thoughts than might be possible any other way. And it is an interesting journey – a whole universe of vulnerability.

Wolf has come some distance in his three Why? albums from the hip-hop that characterised his early days – headed towards Pavement-like indie, Eskimo Snow has a lush feel, an art-pop undercurrent.

The question remains for those who’d prefer to dip in, or to take a song or two into a separate playlist – Eskimo Snow is no better for that purpose than any previous album, although perhaps This Blackest Purse comes close to being the lead track. It works well as a whole, but you have to show it some respect.

Rating 7/10
Mike Rea