"Wu" in Chinese means "the uncarved block" or "the absence of nothing." From the Tao of Pooh, the "Wu-Wei" is a state of being.

Fun as it may be, "Folktales," the recent release from the Wu also reveals an exceptional songwriting prowess that far outdistances most bands on the alternative groove scene. The songs on "Folktales" are as tight as it can possibly get for a band that embraces improvisation. Recorded at a Minneapolis factory on classic equipment that gives the album an undeniably organic sound, "Folktales" displays The Big Wu's consistent knack for hooks and choruses throughout their stylistic melange.

The Big Wu stands at the musical entrance to the American Beauty generation with its extraordinary range of feeling and expression intact. Fending off the music industry's pressure to conform to cute, stylish, butt-wiggling imagery, the members of The Big Wu have fearlessly chosen to exist beyond the mainstream, embracing their passion for playing music on their own terms, and their hard-won ability to just be themselves.