Why?

Alpoecia

[3.5/5]

It’s been nearly three years since Yoni Wolf turned his solo project into a full band. Before 2005’s brilliant Elephant Eyelash, WHY?’s sound was a flurry of musical collages made with samplers-often genius, but mostly on accident. Turning the project into a trio has helped Wolf keep his creativity more focused, and yes, even a bit more pop-oriented (at least compared to the usual Anticon fare). On Alopecia, the group continues in Eyelash’s style, mixing indie rock, folk and hip-hop into a unique blend that’s hard to slap with a tag. While Wolf doesn’t necessarily rap on any of the songs, he still wears the artform on his sleeve. Songs like “Gnashville” and “Good Friday” show signs of his roots, with a lyrical structure that’s still quite poetic in its flow. Sure, it’s not as groundbreaking as Eyelash, but it’s another small step in the group’s constant evolution. (ANTICON) Eddie Fleisher