Baltimore, Maryland, duo Wye Oak, comprised of guitarist/vocalist Jenn Wasner and drummer/keyboardist Andy Stack, don't look like much more than two nice young kids when you see them in person, but get them behind their respective instruments and they create one hell of a wall of sound. Their first two albums, If Children and The Knot, were the kind of shoegazey, indie dream pop that made you swear that there had to be at least four or five people making that kind of blissed-out fuzz, but if you ever get a chance to see them live and in person, you see that Wasner's effects pedals and Stack's ability to play drums and keyboards at the same time (no joke; it has to be seen to be believed) are what make this duo completely magical.

Their new album, Civilian, is more of a grower of a record than their previous two, and by that I mean it doesn't overpower you on your first and second listens. But more time with Civilian makes these songs sneak up and floor you the way an old Low or Yo La Tengo album does. Wasner's voice still has that Grace Slick cool to it, and she uses it to her advantage on the pounding "Holy Holy" and the title song with its driving force. The intimate moments are stellar as well, as Wasner's coo and the quiet strum of her guitar have an entrancing power on tracks such as the album closer "Doubt." The depth of the production on Civilian is also impressive with Stack's keyboard work becoming more and more crucial to what makes a Wye Oak album like this so successful. While not as instantly loveable as their first two albums, Civilian still has plenty about it to make it thoroughly recommendable