Au

Drawing as many comparisons to Terry Riley and Philip Glass as they do to Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, Portland, OR's Au are the brainchild of singer/songwriter Luke Wyland, who began the group in 2005 while studying at the Massachusetts College of Art. After relocating, he connected with a rotating cast of Portland instrumentalists, including drummers Mark Kaylor and Dana Vlatka and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Sielaff. The group's 2007 self-titled album -- which wove together bluegrass, contemporary classical, and indie rock influences -- was a favorite with local and online publications, with the Portland Mercury naming it the year's number two Portland album and /Stereogum and /Pitchfork giving it positive reviews. The group's second album, Verbs, arrived in summer 2008. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide