Sprung from the pages of one of the greatest American post-war novels, Yo-Yo & the Chaplain brings a romantic, lived-in Americana to the digital age. The brainchild of Boston-born singer/songwriter Mark MacLaughlin, Yo-Yo long included Brian Hayman as Mark’s collaborator and yang; Brian continues to make music on the Eastern seaboard with Common Ground, while Yo-Yo & the Chaplain moved out West.
Photo by Janell Simmons
Their timeless blend of folk, rock ‘n’ roll and indie pop has gained a devoted following in NYC and across the country, following in the fretboards of the Barenaked Ladies, Jason Isbell, the Avett Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, and Counting Crows (Mark wants to be Bob Dylan).
Photo by Chip Natvig
Marrying story-arc structure with roots-inflected pop yearnings, the Chaplains’ eclectic discography ranges from debut LP ...Said David to Bathsheba, through companion pieces Flaneur and TKY, to the ongoing Maggie Mae EP series. Now ensconced in the LA scene, Yo-Yo & the Chaplain is following in the grand West Coast folk-rock tradition with a hard-nosed Yankee garage aesthetic, forging their pioneer trail through heartbreak and SoCal sunshine.
Photo by Romy Duhamel