Yoke Lore, the solo project of Adrian Galvin, is on a mission to create art that people can connect with, while also providing something fresh to the music scene.
Galvin, a New York native, stopped by The Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts this past Tuesday, opening for Aquilo. He took the stage with “Beige,” a dreamy, soft track off his latest EP, Goodpain. Throughout his set, he rocked on the banjo, filling the room with a mellow vibe and captivating vocals.
He continued with “Safety,” off of his 2016 EP, Far Shore, along with the single “Only You,” which he preceded with a little background information. Although there are a lot of love songs named “Only You,” Galvin told the crowd that this isn’t one of them; the song is about picking yourself up once you’re in a bad place in order to succeed and get better. He even quoted Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
The set was very eclectic - offering a variety of sounds, which Galvin explained in an interview before the show. He said he writes pop music, but can definitely see an indie vibe in his work since he plays folk instruments. If he went through the history of music that he’s drawn to and was raised on, he said his unique sound would make sense.
“I wanted too many things,” he said. “I want the honesty and the grit of folk music with the catch of pop music, but with the heavy hitting quality of hip hop - with the real human quality of country music.”
While Farshore revolved around relationships - both ending and starting - Good Pain is more about Galvin and the world. He said the EP is a lot about his relationship to his listeners, writing and the music itself. Additionally, Good Pain is more electronic and very vocal heavy, Galvin explained.
“I think because there’s more of me in [the EP], I think my experience of it is different,” Galvin said. “This is way more personal, way more fragile for me. I think when I play it, it’s a lot more rewarding.”
Galvin, formerly of Walk the Moon and another solo project, Yellerkin, decided to try something different with Yoke Lore. As an artist, he believes it’s important to allow change and growth to occur. He explained that he knows what it’s like to work in a room with certain people, but was int
erested in finding out what would happen when he made something by himself. However, he said there are times where he will want and need to work with other creative individuals, since “the times you learn the most about yourself is through a relationship with others.”
“I’m trying to articulate things that nobody says but I’m trying to say them in a way that everyone can understand,” Galvin said. “Art needs to be useful so it could be important. I need to offer something in my songs and I want people to gain some nugget of insight or knowledge so they can use it their own minds and have better, easier lives.”
Currently, Galvin is on tour and has new music he is getting ready to release, along with some remixes and a Spotify session. Instead of focusing on a full-length album, he wants to put out music consistently and steadily progress on his road to success.
Yoke Lore is touring through October. For tickets, music and more visit YokeLore.com.