Baltimore’s Wye Oak used to call themselves Monarch, up until they realized that “exactly seven other bands had claimed the name first.” While they still slip up sometimes, there’s no question that Wye Oak’s sound should be making waves with the release of their first album If Children. The wye oak is Maryland’s state tree and the band, comprised of Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner, may well be Maryland’s state band if they keep this up.

With tones of folk and indie rock, If Children is a solid debut if there ever was one. The twosome may remind some of White Stripes, as many indie rock duos do, but Jenn and Andy are no Jack and Meg. Jenn’s guitars and vocals drive the band, while Andy’s insistent drums and keyboards hold things together to create an abundant and inclusive sound. In live performances, Andy plays the drums with both feet and his right hand, toying with the keyboard with his left hand to keep the bass line going. Recording is done in a similar fashion.

No session players for Wye Oak, man!

If Children is a fluid, layered record from the opening strains of “Please Concrete” right on through to the end. The lead-off single, “Warning,” plays with the design of sound mischievously. Wasner’s barely-discernable vocals float over a virtual wall of sound created through the purr of the feedback and the unyielding drive of Stack’s rhythm. This is unquestionably indicative of the rest of If Children.

The pace is shifted down for other tunes, like the folksy “Regret” or the shoe-gaze feel of “Archaic Smile,” both of which are delicately driven by Andy’s keyboard and even rhythm. The band’s versatility is present on the transitions between songs, as “Family Glue” lets its homey pace give way to the guitar-and-feedback rock of “Orchard Fair” without so much as a sneeze of pretense.

Sadness is explored on “I Don’t Feel Young” and the elegant piano of “Keeping Company” reminds us of the band’s ingenuity yet again. Many bands try to move from minimalistic guitar-and-drum stuff to curving balladry and fall flat in the shift, but Wye Oak makes it look natural because it is. There’s nothing artificial here and the band’s approach towards the songs is perceptible in the affectionate care given to each one.

The album closes with “Obituary,” a more than appropriate finale. The cymbals clash around like falling drops of rain and Jenn dances in it with her playfully clean vocals, creating a triumphant sort of image. When music creates suck a bold a visual picture, something amazing is happening.

If Children is a magnificent debut from this pair and will surely mark the beginning of something special. Jenn and Andy’s amiability is clear, as is their adoration for the material they sing. The transitions between songs show versatility devoid of force and the softness of the slower ballads sounds like home.