Listen to Harmony Woods’ Sofia Verbilla play The National, Mitski, The World Is, and more on WXPN

Last Friday, Philly indie faves Harmony Woods released their sophomore album Make Yourself at Home on Skeletal Lightning Records. It’s a big step forward for a band we were already big fans of at The Key — the production is bolder and more ambitious, and frontperson Sofia Verbilla’s songcraft hits on emotional highs and lows more intense than before.

With an album release party set to happen this Friday at Everybody Hits, and a tour later this fall with The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die and others, Verbilla stopped by WXPN studios last night for a guest DJ set where she played music from her tour-mates, as well as music she’s been digging in general, while also hitting on some of the highlights of Make Yourself at Home.

In the hour-long segment, we hear about how the powerful concept of I Am Easy to Find and the diverse roster of women on guest vocals rekindled Verbilla’s love for The National. We hear how the songs of Mitski opened up a world of musical possibility when she was in a heavy teenage emo phase. She raves about Philly’s Highnoon (who opens her release party), shares her possibly unpopular take on Pianos Become the Teeth’s discography, and talks about working with Chris Teti of The World Is on Make Yourself at Home.

Verbilla also talks about the album itself — how it features the oldest entry in the Harmony Woods songbook, “Ghosts,” and is tied together by a emotional narrative where side A and side B of the record present different halves of a story.

Click below to listen to the guest DJ set in its entirety. Harmony Woods plays an all-ages concert this Friday, October 11th, at Everybody Hits in Fishtown with Highnoon, Monster Bad, and Sammy Heck. Tickets and more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.

Setlist
Harmony Woods – “The City’s Our Song”

The National – “You Had Your Soul With You”
Highnoon – “Lens”
Insignificant Other – “Brushes”
Monster Bad – “Ursa”

Harmony Woods – “Ghosts”
Harmony Woods – “Best Laid Plans”

Mitski – “Francis Forever”
Pianos Become the Teeth – “Charisma”
Sammy Heck – “I Never Got To Be a Girl Scout”
The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “Marine Tigers”

Harmony Woods – “Best Laid Plans II”