St. Lenox - Ten Fables of Young Ambition and Passionate Love

WYMA blog has a soft spot in our hearts for musical lawyers (not that there are many of them).  You see, the majority of us that founded the blog are members of the bar.  Shocking, I know, but don't hold it against us.  To borrow a phrase from the person holding the position previously known as 'leader of the free world', "some of [us], I assume, are good people".

And in addition to likely being a good person, Andrew Choi, Esq., is a very talented musician.  Recording as St. Lenox, Choi's 2018 offering is Ten Fables of Young Ambition and Passionate Love, the third installment if his biographical sketches of his life, background and, more directly in this instance, the tensions between a career and the search for romance.  The album crackles with energy and immediacy.  Andrew's delivery is a stream of conscious, rapid fire street soul that you would expect, and be delighted, to find in your local club, or maybe the best corner in your neighborhood on a sunny day.   Melodic and raw, there is a bit of Tom Waits and a bit of John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats) in the vocals, but the themes are all Andrew Choi.  The songs on Ten Fables of Young Ambition and Passionate Love are insightful and memorable.  It is an album that seeps under your skin and stays with you for a long time, and we thoroughly recommend it.

You can grab a digital copy at the Bandcamp link below.







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Possum Moods - Northern Times

Northern Times marks the third time that Australian Mia Schoen and American Jen Turrell have collaborated as Possum Moods.  Veterans of numerous other projects, the duo are skilled songwriters and on this outing have provided 11 songs with quiet charm and fragility and resolve in equal measure.  But the star of the show is the vocal interplay of Mia and Jen, as well as the supporting cast of Harriet and Phoebe of Aussie band Olsen Twins and Jen's young daughter Myffy.  Jen's husband and co-boss of Emotional Response Records, Stewart Anderson, played the drums for the recording.  Breezy and big-hearted, this, quite simply is a very satisfying album

Three tracks are provided for your evaluation below, including the very fun video for album opener "Captain".  But we recommend you then go to Bandcamp and check out the whole album, including two of our favorites, "Home" and "Cuttlefish".

Northern Times is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Emotional Response Records.  Other projects in which either Mia or Jen have been involved include Sleepy Township, Huon, Cannanes, Boyracer, and Rabbit in Red.








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"Shine On" by Azure Blue

We have good news! Tobias Isaksson, aka Azure Blue, plans to release new album Images of You in March 2019 via Matinees Recordings.  And to remind us all why we care, he has carved out album track "Shine On" as the first single.  With all of the uplifting tones of the new romantics movement and co-vocals by The Land Below, it is Swedish synth pop at its finest.




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Spesh - Famous World

Yes, this album art is one of our favorites of the year (allegedly snapped in NYC's Washington Square Park in the '80s), but Famous World is not here because of the album art.  It is here because we love the music.  The artist is Spesh, a Seattle foursome founded by vocalist Michael McKinney and guitarist Sergio Mirazo from the ashes of Boyfriends, and rounded out with Morgan Dixon (drums) and Brian Yeager (bass).  The ten songs on the album reflect a number of influences, most of them British and most of them from the '80s and '90s.  But that is not meant as criticism, as these guys deliver the big beats, jangling guitars and synthy melodies that made Manchester the epicenter of the rock world for a number of years.  The sound is tight, the production is clear, and the songs evoke some of our favorite musical memories.  This album is on daily play around headquarters.

Famous World is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Killroom Records, a Seattle label formed by Troy Nelson (of KEXP) and Ben Jenkins.  And a shout out to Ben for the production/engineering work on the album.







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Saint Sister - Shape of Silence

We are catching up on some albums that we liked very much this year but didn't find the time to write about earlier.  One of such albums is Shape of Silence by Irish duo Saint Sister.  Working the intersection of folk, indie pop, and electronica, Gemma Doherty and Morgan MacIntyre combine deft songwriting with gorgeous voices.  The sound is atmospheric and dreamy, yet intimate and embracing.  The Shape of Silence isn't holiday-themed music, but we can't think of a better time to fill everyone's ears with these pristine pop gems than when family and friends are together.








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Benin City - Last Night

Late night -- a place in time, an event, a state of mind.  Last Night, by trio Benin City, is a surging, sparkling ode to London nightlife comprised of beats, spoken work, hip hop, electronica, and dance floor delights.  And it is one of our favorite discoveries this year.  Cue it up and push back the furniture.  This album is so good you may skip going out this evening.

Benin City are Joshua Idehen, Tom Leaper, and Shanaz Dorsett.  Last Night was released earlier this year via Moshi Moshi Music.








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Ellis - The Fuzz EP

It only took a few bars of "What A Mess" to prompt us to seek more music by Ellis, the performing moniker for Hamilton, Ontario's Linnea Siggelkow.  We are happy to report that we were not disappointed.  In our opinion, her debut EP The Fuzz marks her as one of the premier dream pop artists recording today.  Sometimes words aren't adequate, so we won't pretend.  Dive in below.







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Brace! Brace! - Brace! Brace!

Brace yourselves, because Brace! Brace! may challenge your assumptions about French pop music.  This Parisian four-piece bills themselves as shoegaze and dreampop, but our ears prompt us to consider them more punk pop/noise pop/experimental.  But regardless of the genre boxes you are tempted to check, their new self-titled album is a terrific listen.  Rhythmic, with a great sense of space and an appealing tendency to build tension over the course of a song, the music is reminds us of a more sonically adventurous Beat Happening, absent Calvin Johnson's baritone.  Get out of your groove and give Brace! Brace! a chance -- it may make your day.

We are advised that the members of the band are Thibault Picot, Cyril Angleys, Antoine Barbier, and Simon Lapillonne.  Brace! Brace! is out now as a digital release via Howlin' Banana Records.










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"Trampoline" by Slum Summer

Here we are in the early stages of winter, and listening to music by a band named Slum Summer.  I don't even know what that name means, but I do know that summer is not what came to mind when I exited the house and 29 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.  We should cut the band some slack, however. They are based in balmy San Diego and headed by a UK transplant who probably is quite happy to have found forever summer.   ABABO, the gang's debut album comes next month via Jigsaw Records, but you can catch an aural taster called "Trampoline" below.  Solid musicianship and an offhand, storytelling style makes this band an appealing newcomer for us.

Slum Summer is Hugh J. Noble, D.J. Anderson, Grant Stewart, and Jen Edwards.




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The Catherines - Cheers!

Heiko Schneider and Sandra Ost, as The Catherines, have been dropping charming fuzz and jangle pop songs regularly for quite a while, and we have featured many of them.  But today's happy news is that the duo have bundled nine recent songs into Cheers!  It is available now in digital and cassette formats.  With delicious surprises such as this, there is nothing left to say except, from us to you, Cheers!


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Pat Thomas - I Ain't Buying It

We are familiar with Pat Thomas because of his work with one of our Bay Area favorites, Cool Ghouls, but he is on these pages today to celebrate his late October solo album, I Ain't Buying It.  The eight songs are warm, soulful, breezy, making us smile and giving us a bounce in our step every time we spin this record.  Less garage rock than Cool Ghouls output, the arrangements here include horns and piano.  We've always known that Pat could write good songs, but are impressed with his comfort and flair as a frontman.  Do you want to feel good?  Well then, check out this album.

I Ain't Buying It is out now in all formats via Empty Cellar Records.








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"Stranger" by Fanclub

We think you should become familiar with Fanclub.  Yes, the Austin, Texas trio has chosen a name that won't help prospective fans very much with search engines, but the quality of the music redeems them.  Their latest single is the energetically jangling "Stranger".  Frankly, we aren't surprised to find the sounds appealing, after noting that Mike Lee of Letting Up Despite Great Faults is involved.  For this project, Mike is joined by Leslie Crunkilton and Daniel Schmidt.  Check out "Stranger" below, and other recent singles at the Soundcloud and Bandcamp links.



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Cathedrale - Facing Death

Today's first treat comes to us from France, where Jules Maison, Robin Titube, Felix Paineau, and Maxime Costa make music as Cathedrale.  Their latest effort is Facing Death, ten tracks of taut post-punk with a garage ethos.  These guys make a wonderful racket, and it sounds like they have fun doing it.

Facing Death is out now via Toulouse's Howling Banana label.








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