Wentworth Kersey: (O)

(O), the second of three EPs promised from Denver’s Wentworth Kersey, finds the duo upping the atmospheric ante while maintaining a strong songwriting perspective. Passing comparisons to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-era Wilco remain apt, but the tracks here feel even more ethereal and ghostly than its predecessor. The slow burn of the majestic “Teton Mountains” unfolds like a fractured wilderness expanse before melting into the plaintive strummer “Brief Symphony”. “Empty Mall/Dead Mall” into “Worms” follows a similar stylistic arc with the results never feeling forced or rushed. One day in the future, those outside the city limits of Denver will wake up to Wentworth Kersey. Armed with a fully formed aesthetic and an ear for mixing texture and melody in gorgeous proportions, the duo will be well prepared to meet the increased scrutiny. It’s only a matter of time.