todayokay was born out of a shared love for the new folk music that emerged from California over the last decade, but the San Francisco-based band quickly found themselves moving away from those hushed, delicate sounds. Their debut EP All This Weaponry (released April 2010) picks up the indie-rock drama of Broken Social Scene, the polyrhythmic energy of The Dodos, and the dense harmonies of TV on the Radio.

Rather than simply launching an exercise in genre hopping, the band took a highly personal approach to crafting these eight songs. Violin and cello are used not just lyrically, but aggressively, at times even percussively. Song structures evolved past traditional strictures, and vocal arrangements were assembled patiently and meticulously. “All This Weaponry” could stand as a reference to the huge amount of vocal talent todayokay brings to bear on this EP. Brother and sister Matt and Emily McLean take on primary duties, but Emily Devan and Emily Haltom make significant vocal contributions throughout. The band’s lush sound is filled out by Will Boast’s nimble, inventive drumming and Michael Dunkle’s alternately chiming and gritty guitar work.

Given the omnivorous approach on display here, it’s no surprise todayokay is also a “home” band of sorts for its six members, who all play in other emerging Bay Area bands: Stringer Belle (folk-soul), Street Sirens (noise-rock), and I Can Dress Myself (dance-pop). This summer todayokay will tour the west coast and begin writing new material for its first full-length record.