"Give Your Heart Away" by Chime School

 

As schools in the northern hemisphere approach the end of school year, the schools and their students often celebrate the fruits of the teachers' and students' efforts over the course of the year. A case in point is San Francisco's Chime School where head boy Andy Pastalaniec has been working on his project The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel. The first single is "Give Your Heart Away", a jangling gem of a song that is the perfect soundtrack for, well, giving your heart away. We unhesitatingly observe that if the rest of the album matches "Give Your Heart Away", Andy's place at the head of the class is secure. However, no grades will be final until Chime School releases the entire LP on August 23 via Slumberland Records.

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"Life Downstream" by Pop Filter

 

The beat pounds the listener's chest from the opening note and the song chugs along with a swaggering groove up to the guitar solo finish. That's "Life Downstream" by Melbourne's Pop Filter, a bracing new single that laments the life of the common folk downstream from the capitalism's winners. The song is out on digital platforms via Osborne Again (Aus/NZ) and Bobo Integral (rest of the cosmos).

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"Oyster Cuts" by Quivers

 

Five weeks ago we shared the news that Melbourne's Quivers have signed to Merge Records and will release a new LP titled Oyster Cuts on August 9. The post also included  the crunchy pop rock gem "Apparition", the first single from the album. Recently the band released the album's title track as the second single. "Oyster Cuts" starts out with a thumping beat which is then joined by popalicious female vocals and synths. It is a hit today, and it would have been a hit in the '80s.

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"Phone" and "Crystal Ball" by Nightshift

 

From time to time we scroll through the WYMA music library and recall a band that thrilled us in the past but hasn't released a recording recently. That happened earlier this week when we were listening to the fine 2021 Zoe by Glasgow's Nightshift. We agreed that it would be quite wonderful if the band were to issue another album. Their brand of pop/rock always surprises and delights with unexpected angles and a touch of the experimental. Not quite a day later we learned that Homosapien will be released July 26 via Chicago's Trouble In Mind Records. Based on the two singles to day, the recently released "Phone" and its predecessor, "Crystal Ball", we are expecting the album to be one of our more often played releases of 2026.

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"Be Kind" by The Male Gays

 

Here at WYMA we are fans of accepting people the way they are rather than setting up barriers. A simple rule could just be, well, be kind. Heck, we don't even do negative reviews here. If we don't like a release, why ruin someone's day and make their mother cry?

So, we were happy to receive "Be Kind", the first single by The Male Gays. It is a slow-burning and sincere plea for tenderness. The song is the title track of the project's three song single/EP which will be released August 2. Expect insight, humor, and entertaining music.

And who are The Male Gays? Two gay, self-described music nerds named Guy Blackman and Bart McDonagh. But however correct, that phrase may be, it undersells the gentlemen. Guy and Bart have played in several bands, but they have made a considerable mark in the indie music world in their roles at fine labels Chapter Music (Melbourne) and Domino Records (London), respectively. They have both earned our respect and thanks for releasing some of our favorite music over the years.

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Rural France - Exactamondo!

 

Did you know that there are masters of powerpop resident in Wilshire, UK? Well, you do now so that's all for now ...

Admittedly, a few more words wouldn't be inappropriate. Said masters are Rural France (to be honest, we try not to try to follow the geography here). They wowed us in 2021 with a fine album of jangle and powerpop and enough rough edges to show a potential for growth -- and perhaps a nod to the 'rural' portion of their name. The gang is back with Exactamondo!, a ten-track LP that suggests that, quite astoundingly, they might have just been playing with us the first time around. Exactamondo! hits the bullseye so often that the bullseye is obliterated. Fuzz, jangle and powerpop abound, delivered with swagger and confidence. The themes can have an edge, but the melodies are vibrant and exciting. Spend for this album and you just might find that it is one of your most played 2024 acquisitions. 

Rural France are Tom Brown and Rob Fawkes. Exactamondo! is out now via Meritorio Records 

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"Monumental Ensemble" by Sad Eyed Beatniks

 

We've checked in on our favorite San Francisco beatniks, and they still seem to have sad eyes. But the mopey vibes don't extend to their songcraft, as evidenced by the just released "Monumental Ensemble". The song is the second single from  the upcoming Ten Brocades LP, due July 12 in digital and vinyl formats via Meritorio Records. A gentle strum and jangle and a relaxed arrangement transports us to a special place. As we've said before, this new album from Sad Eyed Beatniks is going to be special. Don't miss it.

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Oh Boland - Western Leisure

 

Exact portions are unknown, and vary among the tracks, but the music created by Oh Boland for Western Leisure seems comprised of powerpop, garage, punk, jangle, barroom sing-a-long, chaos, and maybe, just maybe, a bit of whisky. The band sounds like they are on the precipice, and we are on the edge of our seats -- or standing and jumping around the room. From start to finish it is original, captivating and so full of vibrant storytelling that we want to grab our coats and head out on the town. Of course, we would take the music with us.

The main man here is Irish musician and songwriter Niall Murphy. Western Leisure is Oh Boland's third album, and is out now via Meritorio Records an Safe Suburban Home. Niall deserves your ears, and you deserve this album.

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Neutrals - New Town Dream

 

Giving voice to the lives, challenges and memories of the generation ensconced in "new towns" in Thatcher's UK, New Town Dream by Bay Area band Neutrals is at time trenchant, at times wry, but always direct and perceptive. But most importantly, vocalist Allan McNaughton has crafted songs that are concise, vibrant and simultaneously punchy and melodic. Stylistically, the band has found that elusive sweet spot between wiry, spikey post punk and jangle pop. It is a territory that DC's Dot Dash do well (admittedly, with more of a powerpop slant), but few others currently playing do. As for Neutrals, they absolutely nail it. The arrangements are dynamic, inventive and multi-dimensional, with forays into electro-pop and dub (see the fourth embedded track below, we couldn't resist Scots accented dub). The quality and variety on offer with New Town Dream places it very high on our list of 2024 album so far. But it isn't only impressive, it is very enjoyable and we will be playing it for a long, long time.

New Town Dream is out now in vinyl, CD and digital formats via Slumberland Records.

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Kindsight - No Shame No Fame

 

Welcome to No Shame No Fame, an album that is easily one of our top five albums of the first half of 2024. The creation of Copenhagen's Kindsight, it is dynamic, melodic, spirited and uniformly superb. Each track sounds honed to perfection in every detail while never seeming slick or over-produced. As always with this band Nina Rasmussen's vocals are a distinct highlight. Yet the other members are equal players in the creation of the aural brilliance. We suppose that if one had to choose one style it would be the compromise term pop rock, but in reality the band's range is too large to pigeonhole. They can be as dreamy as the Sundays, as poppy as Alvvays, and veer into shoegaze; and in reality, each track probably is falls into at least two of those camps. No Shame No Fame is a truly inspired set of songs and you would be failing yourself in the self-care department if you don't check it out. A few of the gems are below, beginning with the soaring wonder that is "Tomorrow".

Kindsight are Nina Hyldgaard Rasmussen (vocals/guitar), Soren Svensson (guitar), Anders Prip (bass), and Johannes Jacobsen (drums). No Fame No Shame is out now in vinyl, digital and CD formats via Rama Lama Records.

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