Yellow Ostrich

Strange Land (Barsuk)

Yellow Ostrich is a trio of swollen, New York-by-way-of-Wisconsin howlers that make trembling indie rock about loving someone who doesn’t love you back. It almost makes too much sense that debut effort Strange Land is being put out by Seattle indie Barsuk. Weaned on the heartsick vibrations of Bright Eyes and once-Barsukians Death Cab for Cutie, Yellow Ostrich wrote a compelling high school album, the sort of thing that desperately searches for your attention. Sculpted from guitar slashes and trumpet tones and brimming with fresh, adolescent pain, the songs can feel like masochistic excisions of the American youth experience. Alex Schaaf’s squeaky falsetto informs us that he’s “got no time for you,” while then admitting minutes later that he “wants your love.” That old-fashioned indie-rock ethos of baring it all and hoping for liberation’s kickback – they don’t make ’em like this anymore. (Wed., 8:25pm, Red Eyed Fly)

***.5

This article appears in March 16 • 2012.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US