Tune-Yards Explained

Tune-Yards
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	New Canaan, Connecticut, United States
Genre:	Art pop, worldbeat, indie pop, lo-fi
Years Active:	2006–present
Label:	4AD, Marriage
Associated Acts:	Sister Suvi, Beep, Dirty Projectors, Naytronix

Tune-Yards (stylized as tUnE-yArDs)^[1] is the American, Oakland, California–based music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Garbus's music draws from an eclectic variety of sources and uses elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, vocals, and lo-fi percussion.^[2] Tune-Yards’ 2011 album Whokill was ranked the number one album of that year in The Village Voice's annual Pazz and Jop critics’ poll.^[3]

The album Nikki Nack was released in 2014, with its first single, "Water Fountain", being picked up by Google Pixel in 2016 for an advertising campaign. The album I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life was released in January 2018. At the same time, Tune-Yards provided an atmospheric score for the sci-fi film Sorry to Bother You.

History and work

Born in 1979, Garbus was raised in New York City and in New Canaan, Connecticut.^{[4] [5]} She attended Smith College. She was a puppeteer for the Sandglass Theater in Vermont^[6] and lived in Montreal where she played ukulele in the band Sister Suvi with guitarist Patrick Gregoire and drummer Nico Dann.^{[7] [8]} Merrill's sister Ruth Garbus is also a musician who has played solo and in the band Happy Birthday.^[9] After releasing her first Tune-Yards album in 2008, she moved to Oakland, California, where her partner in Tune-Yards, Nate Brenner, also lives.^{[5] [6]}

The first Tune-Yards album, Bird-Brains (stylized as BiRd-BrAiNs) was originally self-released by Garbus on recycled cassette tape. It was recorded using only a handheld voice recorder.^[10] A limited edition vinyl was released in June 2009, via the Portland-based imprint Marriage Records.^[11] In July 2009, it was announced that Tune-Yards had signed to 4AD, and a limited edition pressing of Bird-Brains was released on August 17, 2009.^[12] A full worldwide release followed on November 16, 2009 (and November 17 in North America). The autumn 2009 pressing was remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright, and includes two new bonus tracks: "Want Me To" and "Real Live Flesh."

A second album, Whokill (stylized as w h o k i l l), was released on April 19, 2011.^[13] A single from it, "Bizness", came out in February 2011. It was produced by Garbus and engineered by Eli Crews at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California. Applying the live approach to Garbus' studio work for the first time, Garbus works with bass player Nate Brenner, who co-wrote some of the album's songs. Comparing the act to Sonic Youth, Frontier Psychiatrist said, "if Bird-Brains was Garbus' Evol, a record bursting with musical ideas that attempted to subvert the notion of song, who kill is Garbus' Sister, a record that embraces the traditional pop song as a vehicle to convey those ideas."^{[14] [15]} The album as well as singles "Bizness" and "Gangsta" received mention on many top 2011 album and song lists, including Time,^{[16] [17]} Rolling Stone,^{[18] [19]} Spin,^[20] and the New York Times.^[21] In early 2012, the Village Voice's annual "Pazz and Jop" poll of critics named Whokill the No. 1 album of 2011.^[22] The song "Fiya" is featured on a 2010 commercial for the Blackberry Torch, while the song "Gangsta" has been used in the television shows Orange Is the New Black, Letterkenny, Weeds and The Good Wife and the song "Bizness" was used in Season 3 of Transparent.

Garbus started recording material for her third LP during the latter half of 2013, with a working title of Sink-o.^[23] A May 6, 2014 release date was later announced with the title Nikki Nack.^[24] The album spawned three singles, including "Water Fountain", which was featured in the soundtrack for EA Sports video game FIFA 15^[25] as well as in a 2016 commercial for the Google Pixel.^[26]

A fourth album was released on January 19, 2018, called I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life.^[27] The album showed more of an electronic influence.^[28] The single "Look at Your Hands" was released earlier, in October 2017, followed by "Heart Attack" in January.^[29]

The Tune-Yards scored the satiric sci fi film Sorry to Bother You (2018).^[29] The film was shown at Sundance in January, then began a theatrical run in July. Its soundtrack songs are performed by the Coup, fronted by the film's director, Boots Riley. Riley said he started working with Tune-Yards in "early 2015" to create the film's score, with demo tracks already available before the script was complete, and before the start of principal photography. Riley said he was attracted to Garbus's voice, and to the band's "unorthodox use of percussion and vocal layering."^[30] Garbus also composed the theme music for The New Yorker Radio Hour.^[31]

In 2021, Tune-Yards appeared as the opening performance for Google I/O with Artificial Intelligence powered vocal accompaniment.^{[32] [33]}

Members

• Merrill Garbus – vocals, ukulele, percussion (2006–present)
• Nate Brenner – bass guitar (2009–present)

Touring members

• Hamir Atwal – percussion (I can feel you creep into my private life tour, Sketchy tour)
• Noah Bernstein – saxophone (whokill tour)
• Haley Dekle - percussion, vocals (Nikki Nack tour)
• Kasey Knudsen – saxophone (whokill tour)
• Jo Lampert – vocals (Nikki Nack tour)
• Dani Markham – percussion, vocals (Nikki Nack tour)
• Matt Nelson – saxophone (whokill tour)
• Abigail Nessen-Bengson – vocals (Nikki Nack tour)
• Moira Smiley – vocals (Nikki Nack tour)

Discography

Studio albums

Year!rowspan="2" style="width:250px;"

Album details	Peak chart positions
US ^[34]	US Indie ^[35]	US Rock ^[36]	AUS Hit. ^[37]	BEL (FL) ^[38]	BEL (WA) ^[39]	IRE ^[40]	SCO ^[41]	UK ^[42]	UK Indie
Bird-Brains	Released: June 9, 2009 Label: Marriage/4AD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Whokill	Released: April 19, 2011 Label: 4AD	148	26	37	—	49	—	55	—	135	17
Nikki Nack	Released: May 6, 2014 Label: 4AD	27	4	8	15	51	152	—	90	57	11
I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life	Released: January 19, 2018 Label: 4AD	—	11	—	—	67	—	—	98	—	10
Sketchy	Released: March 26, 2021 Label: 4AD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	36

Soundtracks

Year!rowspan="1" style="width:250px;"

Album details
Sorry to Bother You (original score)	Released: April 19, 2019 Label: 4AD

EPs

• Bird-Droppings (November 3, 2009, 4AD, EAD2938) US-only download EP
• ...creep... Remixes (October 31, 2018, 4AD, 4AD0127DS) Download-only EP

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions					Album
		US AAA ^[43]	BEL (FL) Tip.	MEX Eng. ^[44]	UK Phys.	UK Indie Break.
"Sunlight"	2009	—	—	18	—	—	Bird-Brains
"Hatari"		—	—	—	—	—
"Real Live Flesh"^[45]	2010	—	—	—	—	—
"Bizness"	2011	—	—	31	—	—	Whokill
"Gangsta"^[46]		—	—	41	36	—
"My Country"^[47]		—	—	—	—	—
"Water Fountain"^[48]	2014	—	—	37	—	19	Nikki Nack
"Hey Life"		—	47	—	—	—
"Wait for a Minute"		—	—	43	—	—
"Look at Your Hands"^[49]	2017	—	—	—	—	—	I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life
"ABC 123"^[50]		—	—	—	—	—
"Heart Attack"^[51]	2018	—	—	—	—	—
"Nowhere, Man"^[52]	2020	—	—	—	—	—	Sketchy
"Hold Yourself."^[53]	2021	18	—	—	—	—
"Hypnotized"^[54]		—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

• Citay – "Mirror Kisses" from Dream Get Together (January 26, 2010, Dead Oceans)
• Afuche – "Danice Marino" from Highly Publicized Digital Boxing Match (May 21, 2011, Cuneiform Records)
• Elephant & Castle – "En Memoria" from Transitions (March 27, 2012, Plug Research)
• Preservation Hall Jazz Band – "Careless Love" from St. Peter & 57th St. (September 25, 2012, Rounder Records)
• The Blind Boys of Alabama – "I've Been Searching" from I'll Find a Way (October 1, 2013, Sony Masterworks)
• Battles (band) – "Last Supper On Shasta Pt 1 / Pt 2" from Juice B Crypts (October 16, 2019, Warp (record label))

Productions

• Thao & Mirah – Thao + Mirah (April 26, 2011, Kill Rock Stars)
• Latyrx – "Deliberate Jibberish" and "Watershed Moment" from The Second Album (November 5, 2013, Latyramid)
• Thao & the Get Down Stay Down – A Man Alive (March 4, 2016, Ribbon Music)
• Sonny & the Sunsets – Moods Baby Moods (May 27, 2016, Polyvinyl)

Compilation appearances

• "Powa" from 4AD Sessions 2008–2011 (September 20, 2011, 4AD)
• "Bizness" from Modern Songbirds: The Most Incredible Female Singers (April 20, 2012, EMI)
• "Bizness" from Studio Brussel Selected Live Sessions (April 21, 2012, Studio Brussel)
• "Lady" from Red Hot + Fela (June 1, 2012, Knitting Factory Records)
• "Riotriot" from Rough Trade Shops: Green Man '12 (July 30, 2012, Rough Trade Records)

Notes

External links

• Tune-Yards' official website
  • Tune-Yards' profile on 4AD's website

Notes and References

1. World of Wonder: How Merrill Garbus left the theatre and took the stage. . . May 2, 2011 .
2. News: New York Times Music Review: Putting it Together . nytimes.com . October 8, 2009. October 7, 2009 . Jon . Caramanica.
3. Web site: Pazz and Jop Poll: Top Albums of 2011 . The Village Voice . 21 January 2012.
4. Hazel Sheffield, "Interview: tUnE-yArDs. The decidedly non-bird-brained tUnE-yArDs is searching for freedom in her own back garden." The Stool Pigeon, May 9, 2011.
5. Mark Richardson, "Interviews: tUnE-yArDs", Pitchfork, April 25, 2011.
6. Byard Duncan, "Merrill Garbus' Road to Fame", The Bay Citizen, April 20, 2012.
7. Chris Dahlen, "Sister Suvi: Now I Am Champion" (review), Pitchfork, July 7, 2009.
8. Charlotte Richardson Andrews, "Tune-Yards' Merrill Garbus on life after lo-fi", The Guardian, April 7, 2011.
9. News: Bevan . David . Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday . . 2010-03-17 . 2016-05-25.
10. Web site: Ink19 Tune-Yards: Master of Puppets . ink19.com . May 1, 2009 . June 9, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110609092600/http://www.ink19.com/issues/may2009/interviews/tuneYards.html . dead .
11. Web site: Tune-Yards – Bird-Brains (LP) at Discogs . Discogs.com . February 2, 2010.
12. Web site: Tune-Yards – Bird-Brains (CD, Album, Lim) at Discogs . Discogs.com . August 9, 2009 . February 2, 2010.
13. Web site: tUnE-yArDs official website. Tune-yards.com . April 17, 2011.
14. Web site: What's A Girl To Do?: A Review of tUnE-yArDs' w h o k i l l . Frontier Psychiatrist . April 11, 2011 . April 11, 2011.
15. Web site: On tUnE-YarDs, Chuck Klosterman and the End of the High Fidelity Era of Music Criticism. January 25, 2012. The L Magazine. 17 June 2013.
16. News: Time Magazine Top 10 albums of 2011 (#6). https://web.archive.org/web/20120107200915/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101364_2101588,00.html . dead . January 7, 2012 . Time.com . December 7, 2011.
17. News: Time Magazine Top 10 Songs of 2011 (#6). https://web.archive.org/web/20120107201010/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101365_2101669,00.html. dead. January 7, 2012. Time.com . December 7, 2011.
18. Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 2011 (#13) . Rolling Stone. 2016-12-12 .
19. Rolling Stone 50 Best Singles of 2011 (#32) . https://web.archive.org/web/20120107175601/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-singles-of-2011-20111207/tune-yards-bizness-19691231 . dead . January 7, 2012 . Rolling Stone. 2016-12-12.
20. Web site: Spin Magazine Top 50 Albums of 2011 (#30) . Spin.com. December 12, 2011 . 2016-12-12 .
21. News: The New York Times Top 10 Pop Albums of 2011 (#7) . . Jon . Pareles . December 15, 2011.
22. Web site: Village Voice Pazz + Jop 2011 Albums . Villagevoice.com . 2016-12-12.
23. Web site: tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus writing 'chaotic' new album 'Sink-o'. June 6, 2013. NME. August 14, 2013.
24. Web site: Hogan. Marc. tUnE-yArDs Teases 'Nikki Nack' LP With Deliriously Anarchic Megamix. March 3, 2014. SPIN. 3 March 2014.
25. Web site: Listen to the FIFA 15 Soundtrack. September 16, 2014. EA Sports. https://web.archive.org/web/20180721103251/https://www.easports.com/fifa/news/2014/fifa-15-soundtrack-details. July 21, 2018. live. August 9, 2018.
26. Web site: Google Pixel: Memories by you, phone by Google. tvadvertsongs.com. 23 May 2018.
27. Web site: The official website for independent record label 4AD.. 4AD. en. 2018-01-23.
28. Web site: Tune-Yards: I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life review – wonky diva wakes up to wokeness. Petridis. Alexis. 2018-01-18. the Guardian. 2018-01-24.
29. Web site: Tune-Yards Score Boots Riley-Directed Film Sorry to Bother You. Pitchfork. November 30, 2017 . December 17, 2018.
30. 'Sorry to Bother You' Director Boots Riley on Working With Tune-Yards and Breaking the Rules of Soundtracks. Billboard. December 17, 2018.
31. Web site: About The New Yorker Radio Hour. WNYC Studios. June 7, 2023.
32. Web site: Google I/O 2021 – Okay, Google, show us new stuff . ResetEra . 3 September 2021 . 18 May 2021.
33. Web site: McHugh-Johnson . Molly . The story behind the Blob Opera world tour . Google Blog . 3 September 2021 . 18 May 2021.
34. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=tune-yards|chart=all}} Chart Places tUnE-yArDs]. Billboard. 2011-10-04.
35. Tune Yards Album & Song Charts – Independent Albums. Billboard.com. April 20, 2021.
36. tUnE-yArDs Chart History – Rock Albums. Billboard. April 20, 2021.
37. Web site: ARIA Report: Issue 1264. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20140620051154/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20140620-1509/ARIA1264.pdf. dead. June 20, 2014. ARIA. November 15, 2023.
38. Web site: Chart Stats – TUnE-yArDs . ultratop.be. 2011-10-04.
39. Web site: ultratop.be – Discographie Tune-Yards . ultratop.be. April 20, 2021.
40. Web site: Discografy Tune Yards . irishcharts.com . April 20, 2021 .
41. Peaks in Scotland:
    • Nikki Nack: Web site: Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 – Official Charts Company. January 26, 2018. Official Charts Company. April 20, 2021.
    • I Can Feel You Creep into My Private Life: Web site: Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 – Official Charts Company. May 11, 2014. Official Charts Company. April 20, 2021.
42. Peak chart positions for albums in the United Kingdom:
    • For all except noted: Web site: Tune Yards . . April 20, 2021 . select "Albums" tab.
    • For Whokill: Web site: Chart Stats – TUnE-yArDs . zobbel.de. 2011-10-04.
43. Tune Yards – Chart History: Adult Alternative Airplay . Billboard . April 20, 2021.
44. Tune Yards – Chart History: Mexico Ingles Airplay . Billboard . April 20, 2021.
45. Web site: Real Live Flesh – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
46. Web site: Gangsta – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
47. Web site: My Country by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
48. Web site: Water Fountain – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
49. Web site: Look at Your Hands – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
50. Web site: ABC 123 by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
51. Web site: Heart Attack – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
52. Web site: Nowhere, Man – Single by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
53. Web site: Hold Yourself. by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.
54. Web site: Hypnotized by Tune-Yards on Apple Music . Apple Music . April 20, 2021.