Photo: Don Albonico

Last month, Oakland Americana outfit We Became Owls released their second EP, there are other animals at the zoo. While their debut self-titled EP was an intimate, acoustic collection of songs from singer/guitarist Andrew Blair, multi-instrumentalist Ross Warner, and cellist Robin Ward there are other animals introduces us to We Became Owls’ louder full band sound.

Blair tells me this album is “louder” simply because it represnts “what we sound like now”. In addition to Blair and Warner, We Became Owls currently includes Kyle Caprista on drums, Doug Keen on bass, and Kelly McFarling (an exceptional talent on her own) adding banjo and backing vocals.

The new direction We Became Owls takes with their sound on there are other animals at the zoo marks a positive step in their growth as a band while maintaining quality songwriting, musicianship, and retaining plenty of intimate moments that made their first EP so great. Listen to there are other animals at the zoo below along with their video about the creation of the album, which provides an intimate look into the recording process and life in a band just trying to be heard.