Yawn Mower
Yawn Mower | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Yawn Mower live in 2018. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | In the Clouds Records, Mint 400 Records |
| Website | yawnmower |
| Members | Mike Chick Biff Swenson |
Yawn Mower are an American rock band that is from New Jersey.
History[edit]
Yawn Mower are a rock duo from Asbury Park, New Jersey that formed in 2015.[1][2] While in their former bands, guitarist and vocalist Mike Chick and drummer Biff Swenson met playing shows in Seaside Heights and Asbury Park, and considered jamming, which began after Chick bought a baritone guitar and suggested they start a two-piece band.[3] Yawn Mower is noted for their fuzz-rock guitars, crunchy hooks and sense of humor, as The Jersey Journal describes their blend of music to be "spazzy surf rock" and a "comedic two-man guitar/drums act who look and sound like two of The Muppets."[4][5][1] They released several EPs independently and on In the Clouds Records, and opened for the alternative rock band Electric Six.[6]
Mint 400 Records[edit]
In 2018, Yawn Mower signed with Mint 400 Records and released two singles, "Kickstand" and "Local Summer," which would appear on the EP Could Eat, Would Sleep. Swenson notes the EP is "the most-produced record and the most time we've spent on a recording to get the sound the way we wanted."[3] "Kickstand" is about "relying on friends to make through some tough or wild times," and in the Asbury Park Press, Chick describes "Local Summer" as a "tribute to the post-Labor Day days at the Jersey Shore when the tourists leave but the days are still warm [...] the song is half carefree because when local summer comes around, everybody who is local is excited because they feel they're going to get their beach town back from everybody who comes and vacations over the summer."[7][3] It is considered the best track of the EP by Bob Makin in The Aquarian Weekly.[8]
Could Eat, Would Sleep was released on 20 April 2018, and is listed on music journalist Jim Testa's Top New Jersey EPs of 2018. He describes it as a "combination of impressive musicianship with goofy elan recalls a lot of what Jersey does best, mixing quirky humor with power-fuzz guitars and defiant insouciance."[9] Yawn Mower performed at the North Jersey Indie Rock Festival on 6 October 2018.[6]
Yawn Mower took part in the Speak Into My Good Eye annual 24 Hour Songwriting Challenge, with the song "It's All Non-Stop."[1] They also contributed a cover of "I Love You All" that appears in the 2014 film Frank for the Mint 400 Records compilation At the Movies.[8] In 2019, they released a 90's-themed five-track compilation, entitled Why Work Harder Than You Have To.[10]
Members[edit]
- Mike Chick – vocals and baritone guitar
- Biff Swenson – drums
Discography[edit]
- EPs
- Get to the Boat (2016)
- Yawn Mower Ruins Christmas (2016)
- What's All This New Piss? (2017)
- Could Eat, Would Sleep (2018)
- Singles
- "Kickstand" (2018)
- "Local Summer" (2018)
- Compilations
- Covers (2016)
- More Covers (2017)
- Waffle House (2018)
- Why Work Harder Than You Have To (2019)
- Appearing on
- The 4th Annual 24 Hour Songwriting Challenge (2017)
- At the Movies (2018)
- NJ / NY Mixtape (2018)
References[edit]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Appio, Jim (18 June 2018), "New Stuff From Old Friends: Yawn Mower And The RockNRoll Hi-Fives", CoolDad Music, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Appio, Jim (29 March 2019), "New (ish) Stuff from Lots of Friends: Sharkmuffin, Lyons, Yawn Mower, Lowlight, Dentist", CoolDad Music, retrieved 31 March 2019
- BrooklynVegan Staff (18 July 2018), "What's Going On Wednesday?", BrooklynVegan, retrieved 16 December 2018
- BrooklynVegan Staff (6 October 2018), "The North Jersey Indie Rock Festival", BrooklynVegan, retrieved 6 February 2019
- Impose Staff (18 November 2017), "Yawn Mower: "It's All Non-Stop"", Impose, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Jordan, Chris (20 April 2018), "420 Day Meets Locals Summer At Yawn Mower Record Release Show In Asbury Park", Asbury Park Press, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Makin, Bob (13 December 2018), "Makin Waves With Yawn Mower: "Hey Babe, It's Local Summer"", The Aquarian Weekly, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Testa, Jim (3 October 2018a), "North Jersey Indie Rock Fest Unites Bands, Media, Labels - And Fans", The Jersey Journal, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Testa, Jim (24 October 2018b), "A Night At The Pet Shop: Bands, Beer, Wine And An Exciting New Venue For N.J.", The Jersey Journal, retrieved 16 December 2018
- Testa, Jim (2018c), "Top New Jersey Albums", Jersey Beat, retrieved 27 January 2019
- The New York Times Staff (31 July 2016), "Things to Do in New Jersey, July 30 Through Aug. 7", The New York Times, retrieved 19 April 2019
External links[edit]
- Yawn Mower on Bandcamp
- Yawn Mower discography at Discogs
