MUSICAL THERAPY. The music of Wyblue doesn't shy away from tackling heavy topics. (Submitted photo)

Having honest conversations with yourself about difficult experiences can be difficult, but having therapy in the form of music can help guide you through the dark times.

Wyblue is an independent band from Eau Claire that was born from the question, “What makes you blue?” The group – which consists of Andy Hanson (vocals and guitars), Will DeBlaey (bass), and Rose Mish (violin and vocals) – released a debut six-song EP on Feb. 18 entitled Hometown, an ode to your formative years and how they can follow you for the rest of your life.

“Wherever you grew up, you did a lot of great things there, and you did a lot of bad things there, too,” Hanson said. “Whether you move to a different city or not, when you try and change and do new things with your life, you’re still going to be that same person people remember you as when you return to your hometown. You can’t escape some of those things unfortunately, so this record deals with that and still trying to better yourself regardless of what your hometown might think.”

The indie-folk outfit got its start just before the COVID-19 shutdown happened in March 2020, but frontman Hanson has been writing original music for more than a decade. The music on Hometown sonically lies somewhere in-between Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews Band, and describes the struggles of growing older.

The opening track, “Ghosts,” stays true to this theme, playing with the idea of having done things you regret in your past, but trying to grow from them and move on in a healthy and positive way.

“We don’t want to shy away from asking people how they’re doing,” Hanson said. “We don’t want anyone to shy away from tough questions in their life. We try to channel that by discussing the monumentality and fragility of existence by writing songs that demand the recognition and celebration of real successes, painful struggles, and honest experiences. Conversations can be tough, but songs can help.”

With their debut EP now available, the next step for Wyblue is to release more original music later this year and continue to develop sonically as an outfit.

Hometown by Wyblue is available now on all major streaming services. For more information you can visit their website wybluemusic.com.