Westminster by Your New Parents

This debut EP is a collaboration that began in Westminster, Maryland in January 2024 when Graham was sorting through old hard drives containing unfinished songs he had started writing 15 years prior for his former band with Heather called Esquimaux. Graham and Heather initially started to record the songs on Graham's iPhone before Graham reached out to friend David Fair (Half-Japanese) for help recording the song You Hurt The Ones That You Love. David introduced him to Mark Jickling, who Graham had met briefly at the ShakeMore Festival in Westminster, and soon the collaboration took root. Graham then asked his friend Jake Fine, who he also met in Westminster, to help with the drums.

The songs were recorded between January-May 2024 at various locations throughout Westminster and Baltimore. The EP begins with the song Oh My Maryland which describes the historic events of the Maryland 400 infantry in three stanzas and sets the stage for the themes of idealism, sacrifice and futility throughout the lyrics of the next 4 songs, including the cover of Vic Chesnutt's New Town. The order of the songs is meant to convey the cycle of beginnings and endings, culminating with the death of a parent in I'll Send Angels.

This EP was funded in part by an Arts Opportunity Mini Grant through the Carroll County Arts Council and Maryland State Arts Council.

YNP is a Maryland-based indie lo-fi rock band featuring Heather Brown Dodge (Esquimaux, Gary Jules & The Group Rules), Graham Dodge (Esquimaux), Mark Jickling (Half-Japanese, Old Songs) and Jake Fine (Seven Teller, Luvable Idiots).