(Self-released, digital, vinyl)
For a relatively small music scene, Vermont has its share of hot spots and Bermuda Triangle-style convergences of melodic mystery. The southern tip of the state, in particular, has its own ecosystem, branching off into western Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Tucked away in the hills like hidden jewels are funny little small-town venues and world-class recording studios. Some of our most intriguing acts emerge from this microscene.
Hailing from the Brattleboro area, indie-rock outfit Wojcicki fit that bill to a tee. The band formed around 2011, assembled by singer-songwriter Matt Sharff, who spent his formative years playing punk in New York City. Together with guitarist Bethanie Yeakle and drummer Phil Beninson, Sharff has released two records under the Wojcicki banner: After Birther (2016) and Failure to Illuminate (2022). The Polish moniker (pronounced voy-CHEAT-ski) nods to Sharff’s maternal family name.
Their latest album, Wetmarket Scratch, is all about heart-on-sleeve roots-rock heft and Sharff’s gruff, bellowing lyricism. “Holding the Bag” kicks off the six-track EP with a building, chiming guitar lick and a paranoid, tense atmosphere that erupts into a furious chorus.
With barely contained rage and soulful power, Sharff excels in his vocals, not unlike Johnossi singer John Engelbert or the late David Thomas of Pere Ubu. On “Transmission Love,” a fist-pumping, anthemic rocker, he sings of “Shooting straight and standing tall / Digging up the parts we lost, the wires bearing pain.” There’s a subtle politics at the heart of Wetmarket Scratch, though Sharff tends to be guarded with his lyrics: While he hints at issues, he appeals to emotions more often than singing from a place of protest.
Yeakle provides stirring vocal harmony on “Anhedonia,” a heartland-style mid-tempo track. But it’s her searing guitar work that truly stands out. A solo artist in her own right, who released The Space Between in 2022, Yeakle brings much-needed color to the record with her gorgeous solos and waves of lap steel.
The band recorded with producer Dave Snyder at Guilford Sound, the top-notch studio that has worked with everyone from the Pixies to Noah Kahan. Accordingly, every note sounds pristine, with the production adding a layer of sheen when needed or letting the band’s raw power soar at just the right time. The dynamic matches Sharff’s songwriting, which runs the gamut from muscular punk to more nuanced, reserved folk.
Wetmarket Scratch is now streaming on major services and available on vinyl at wojcicki.bandcamp.com. The band travels to Burlington for an appearance on Big Heavy World’s “Rocket Shop” radio show on Wednesday, July 30.
This article appears in The Cartoon Issue 2025.
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