To kick off their eponymous EP, the Minneapolis band The Way Back Yard put their own baroque spin on the folk classic Wayfaring Stranger. The vignette of a world-weary soul traversing dirt roads in a bid for self-discovery may have been around since long before the Civil War, but it still lyrically rings just as true today in an era that is blighted by a collective loss of meaning.
The folky Americana retelling of the melancholic tale will embed itself deep within your soul; with every cello and violin sting pull, you will feel more of the gravity projected by the three-part harmonies that The Way Back Yard has become revered for.
They’ve come a long way since playing in backyards in the Twin Cities; their Crosby, Stills and Nash-inspired melodies have received extensive radio and podcast plays, and they’ve become part of the furniture in the Minneapolis bluegrass scene. On the basis of the gravitas in their cover of Wayfaring Stranger, it is about time for them to become a global folk phenomenon.
The self-titled EP from The Way Back Yard is now available to stream on Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
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