WHY?

Part literary underground hip-hop, part brightly melodic indie rock, and part synthy, kaleidoscopic art rock, Why? has existed in a class of its own since its establishment by singer/rapper/songwriter Yoni Wolf. Begun as a solo project in the early 2000s, Why? soon grew into a full band, who, under Wolf's guidance, have crafted heady albums that return to themes of family, mortality, and neurotic responses to everyday life. They reached a new level of critical acclaim and fan support with their much-lauded 2008 masterstroke Alopecia and continued in kind with albums such as 2012's Mumps, Etc. (named for getting sick on tour) and 2017's quirky, sample-injected Moh Lhean. In 2024, Why? delivered their most accessible album yet, the breakup-themed The Well I Fell Into, which took a more poignant, singer/songwriter-oriented approach without landing anywhere close to dull.