A Durham psych-folk band born from Wisconsin roots and a shared history with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, known for loose, textured songcraft.
MOODS · hazy · folk-rooted · loose and exploratory · earnest · harmony-driven · rustic · introspective · warm · unpolished · wandering
BIOGRAPHY
Megafaun formed in Durham, North Carolina, after brothers Brad Cook (bass, guitar) and Phil Cook (keyboards), along with percussionist Joe Westerlund, all originally from the Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire area of Wisconsin, split from the band DeYarmond Edison in 2006. That earlier group had also included Justin Vernon, who went on to found Bon Iver, giving Megafaun a documented connection to one of indie folk's most recognized names.
The trio released Bury the Square in 2008, followed by Gather, Form & Fly in 2009 on Hometapes, which drew strong reviews from outlets including Pitchfork and The A.V. Club. after Heretofore (2010), their self-titled fourth album arrived in 2011 to widespread critical acclaim. The band went on indefinite hiatus in October 2012 following the Hopscotch Music Festival, capping four albums and extensive U.S. and European touring.
WHY THEY'RE COOL
Megafaun's appeal lies in a genuinely hard-to-categorize sound: lo-fi folk picking, Byrds-style vocal harmony, and off-kilter percussion arranged with a loose, exploratory structure rather than conventional songcraft. Critics singled out the band's ability to combine real textural surprise with sincere emotional weight, a rare combination in the modern folk landscape. Their shared history with Justin Vernon in DeYarmond Edison situates them at the root of a formative moment in contemporary indie folk, even as they carved out their own distinct, restless identity across four studio albums before stepping away in 2012.
GEORGE'S PLAYS
First time on the station.
PLAYED ON WOKE1
