If you recognize the name “Tyvek,” chances are it’s not because of music. A type of high-density polyethylene fibers trademarked by the billion-dollar company DuPont, Tyvek is a synthetic material used for a variety of purposes, but most famously as “house wrap” to keep in-construction buildings from being affected by the elements.
As of the early 2000s, Tyvek became tied to a band, too — specifically, an unruly, lo-fi-leaning Punk/Garage Rock group from Detroit led by guitarist/vocalist Kevin Boyer.
Detroit pops up on “City of a Dream” off 2012’s On Triple Beams, Tyvek’s third and most recent record. On “City,” Boyer takes shots at the attempted rejuvenations and ultimate false starts for his hometown. “City of a dream, but it’s just a lie/You can read about it in the Sunday Times,” he sings in one chorus. Elsewhere in the track, he references “tearing down the place just to cover it up,” which has to be a shot at Tyvek (the fibers).
If anyone should be taking shots at the Man, it’s Tyvek (the band), which specializes in DIY-friendly, rough-around-the-edges Rock & Roll.
