Imagine a band that formed in seclusion, in a small town in southeast Washington state, far from any exclusive, sound-alike music scene. With the freedom to draw upon varied influences while retaining their originality, that band would create a unique sound that stands out among today’s flood of indie bands. Yarn Owl is that band.

Javier Suarez, the band’s lyricist and lead vocalist, sings pop-perfect melodies that swirl and swell on top of Ted Powers’s wildly structured drums, Tim Meinig’s chugging basslines, and Tyler Armour’s crystal-clear and delicately crafted lead guitar riffs.

It is striking to follow the band’s evolution from 2009’s self-released Stay Warm EP and Tiny Dots cassette, released on Leftist Nautical Antiques, to their forthcoming debut album, Montaña y Caballo. While their earlier work certainly displayed Suarez’s gift for pop songwriting, Montaña y Caballo showcases the complexity of his talents. Where Yarn Owl previously has gotten by with only two chords, as on “Yarn Blues,” they now explore mood, texture, and layering with more care and depth than before, at times echoing structural techniques used by a clear sonic influence, Fleet Foxes. For example, the first half of new song “Follow the Coast” is quieter, building tension until it is released in the second half, whose tone is somewhat darker than what Yarn Owl has attempted in the past.

Successful risks like that can be found throughout Montaña y Caballo, an album that will be sure to vault Yarn Owl to the recognition that their talent deserves. So far, other bands have recognized what Yarn Owl can do, as evidenced by the names they have played shows with: Fruit Bats, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Visqueen, Frog Eyes, Women, Local Natives, Sera Cahoone. And that doesn’t include the many festival bills they have shared with prominent artists across the northwest.

Don’t overlook Yarn Owl—when the rest of the world takes notice, you won’t want to be left behind.
-Evan Reyes

Montaña Y Caballo by Yarn Owl

Yarn Owl is managed by Larson Hicks at stereopathicmusic.com and can be reached for booking and other inquiries at