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Jan 21, 2020 By Christopher Roberts Photography by Kendall Bailey Atwater Wye Oak

Wye Oak (Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack) have shared a brand new song, “Fear of Heights.” It follows “Fortune,” a new song they shared in November that was #1 on that week’s Songs of the Week list. “Fear of Heights” is a bit more subdued than “Fortune” but soars on the strength of Wasner’s always sublime vocals. Listen to it below, followed by the band’s upcoming JOIN tour dates in February and March.

Wasner had this to say about “Fear of Heights” in a press release: “This song’s central metaphor likens the deepening of a relationship to the feeling of ascending to the top of a very tall place. There’s something to be seen (or learned, or experienced) once you arrive, but for some there is also a fear that increases with every step upwards. You say it’s worth it for the view, but it’s impossible to know if that’s true until you get there to see it with your own eyes.”

For the first time since 2012, Wasner and Stack are now both living in the same city together, Durham, NC (home to their label Merge), which has allowed for renewed creativity and led to the band recording last summer. There’s no word yet on a new album.

Wye Oak released their last album, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs, back in April 2018 via Merge. (It was our Album of the Week and one of our Top 100 Albums of 2018.) In February 2019 they shared a brand new song, “Evergreen,” via the Adult Swim Singles series (it was one of our Songs of the Week).

Since their last album, Stack launched his solo project, Joyero, releasing his debut album as Joyero, Release the Dogs, in August 2019 via Merge. Wasner, meanwhile, has been touring as part of Bon Iver’s band. A previous press release promised that the JOIN tour dates will feature an expanded live band and will find them not just performing Wye Oak songs, but also ones by Joyero and Wasner’s Flock of Dimes solo project.

Read our 2018 interview with Wye Oak on The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs.

Pick up our current print issue (the My Favorite Album Issue) to read Andy Stack’s essay about his all-time favorite album.

Wye Oak Tour Dates:

Feb 27 Asheville, NC - The Mothlight
Feb 28 Durham, NC - Baldwin Auditorium
Feb 29 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s [SOLD OUT]
Mar 01 Baltimore, MD - 2640 Space [SOLD OUT]
Mar 03 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
Mar 04 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mar 05 Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
Mar 20 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
Mar 21 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
Mar 23 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
Mar 24 Los Angeles, CA - Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Mar 25 Los Angeles, CA - Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

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