Columbus, Ohio drum and guitar duo the Yips are a mainstay of a lo-fi scene that's produced indie underground notables such as Ron House, the Gibson Brothers, the Bassholes, Scrawl, V3, and many others. With its snarling guitars, stripped-down rhythms, unpolished singing, and highly literate, poetic songwriting, the Yips's SEVEN PILLARS OF THE YIPS is a virtual soundtrack for underemployed writers and college English majors everywhere.
Over the 14 tracks of SEVEN PILLARS OF THE YIPS, Gilmore Tamny plays her guitar in an unschooled, angular style. Her lyrics are fluid and carefully chosen, and her vocal phrasing is sophisticated far beyond the typical indie fare. On the excellent opening "Dust," Tamny and drummer Jon Davidson sing a duet that resembles nothing less than Los Angeles evergreens X. But perhaps the most endearing--and brave--aspect of SEVEN PILLARS OF THE YIPS is Tamny's willingness to play the fool; on the standout track "7th Grade," she sings buoyantly "At the dawn of this new age, I continued wearing tube socks."