Yeasayer

words by Julie Neumann
photos by Victor Yiu

The world is coming to an end, and apparently Yeasayer is here to bring us the news. A Brooklyn-based Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the band has arrived on the scene to shock us from our apathy with ethereal chanting and supersonic synth skills. Allow yourself to be swept up by the jagged textures and quirky turns—but pay attention as you sway, so you don’t miss their wry one-liners—and you may find yourself thinking that maybe mutually assured destruction won’t be that bad after all. “Our apocalyptic songs just exist because George Bush is president,” says lead singer Chris Keating. His tone is light, amused, but obviously genuine. “That is what we are reacting to as a band, this environment that we’re in, the ridiculous things that are going on around the world and the ridiculous war that we’re in. That’s what was going on when we wrote that album.”