WU LYF

WU LYF

WU LYF Press Photo, NY, Paul McGiver
Background information
Origin Manchester, England
Genres Indie Rock, Post-rock @edwardjgibson
Years active 2008–present
Labels LYF recordings
Website wulyf.org worldunite.org
Members
Evans Kati
Thomas David Francis McClung
Ellery James Roberts
Joseph Louis Harlan Manning

WU LYF (pronounced "Woo Life", stands for "World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation") are a band from Manchester, England that originally became known for creating a mystery about themselves by declining requests for interviews and not releasing much information to the press.[1][2][3] The band describes their music as "heavy pop".[4] Their manager, Warren Bramley, has previously worked with Tony Wilson at Factory Records.[5]

Contents

Beginnings

WU LYF formed in the summer of 2008 in Rusholme, Manchester and comprises "Jeau" (Joe Manning), "Lung" (Tom McClung), "Elle Jaie" (Ellery Roberts) and "Evnse" (Evans Kati).[2] Having caught the attention of the UK music industry and press after making a series of early recordings available through their website, WU LYF began a monthly residency, entitled "Play Heavy Pop", at Manchester's An Outlet coffeehouse in December 2009. The band's first gig outside of Manchester came in July 2010 at the MIDI Festival on the French Riviera. Subsequent shows include France's Transmusicales Festival,[6][7] Berlin's Transmediale festival[8] and sold-out headline shows in Glasgow and London. In July 2010 the band announced the formation of the Lucifer Youth Foundation, giving new members an illustrated bandit mask and a 12" single featuring the tracks "Concrete Gold" and "Heavy Pop". The band started recording their debut album in November 2010 using the money generated by the L Y F membership scheme. Deciding against the conventional studio set up, they instead took over Saint Peter's church in Ancoats, Manchester, to record their album. The album is self-produced. The band declined all offers from established record labels and released their debut album, entitled Go Tell Fire To The Mountain,[9][10] themselves on 13 June 2011 through the L Y F recordings imprint.[11] In support of the records release the band played several dates in the UK to critical acclaim,[12][13] culminating in the curation of the Great Bridgwater street Tunnel as part of the Manchester International Festival.[14]

Press coverage

Much of the early press coverage on the band has focused on the fact that they do not know much about the band.[15] The New York Observer described the phenomenon as "carefully designed anonymity".[1] One critic highlighting their, "ability to maintain mystique at a time when everything is out in the open".[16] The NME has picked the band as one that is likely to define 2011.[17] They were described as "The cult band of the moment in England" by Rolling Stone magazine in Italy[18]. The Dutch magazine Kicking the Habit described them as sounding like "Tom Waits in a church under the guidance of stoned garage".[19] The band appeared on BBC2's "Culture Show", showcasing a song off their recent album and conducting an interview.[20] Recent press has become more concerned with WU LYF's intense, cathartic live show [21] Pitchfork Media gave the "Go Tell Fire to The Mountain" a 8.4 Rating and the Best New Music accolade, stating "WU LYF in the manner of Iceage or Odd Future as musicians that have made me genuinely excited about their potential impact on listeners, the same things that make them seem juvenile-- the artistic and personal volatility, the semblance of a roving gang more than a band, the invitation to indulge in your most disturbing impulses and yet feel morally superior to an ill-defined majority-- are the same things that feel totally galvanizing. And it's easy to imagine GoTell Fire to the Mountain giving disaffected listeners the promise of an entry to something beyond themselves in a way that James Blake or Bon Iver can't. " [22]. BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe named "Dirt," the album's 7th song, the "Hottest Track in the World" [23]

This Wikipedia page on the band has been deleted several times, which itself has been covered by the press.[15]

Members

Discography

Singles

Albums

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Michael H. (2011-04-05). "Avatars of Anonymous Ambition: Heavy Poppers WU LYF Hit Williamsburg". The New York Observer. http://www.observer.com/2011/culture/avatars-anonymous-ambition-heavy-poppers-wu-lyf-hit-williamsburg. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  2. ^ a b Lester, Paul (2010-03-10). "Wu Lyf (No 743) – This mysterious crew appear to be some kind of strange Manc cult, full of quasi-spiritual fervour and revolutionary intent". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/mar/10/new-band-wu-lyf. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  3. ^ "Donaufestival mit James Blake, Wild Beasts und Owen Pallett gestartet" (in German). Vienna: Vienna Online. 2010-04-29. http://www.vienna.at/donaufestival-mit-james-blake-wild-beasts-und-owen-pallett-gestartet/news-20110429-12482920. Retrieved 2011-05-09. 
  4. ^ Chanda, Devin (2011-08-23). "Manchester, United.". Life and Times. http://lifeandtimes.com/manchester-united. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 
  5. ^ "Warren Bramley, Co founder, Creative Director, four23, UK". http://www.britishcouncil.org/latvia-projects-iyxe-speaker1.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-09. 
  6. ^ Steenhaut, Dirk. "Wu Lyf @ ABClub" (in Dutch). Knack Focus (France). http://knackfocus.rnews.be/nl/entertainment/wu-lyf-abclub/article-1194987445808.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-03. 
  7. ^ "WU LYF: Live aux Transmusicales de Rennes" (in French). France: Ricard S.A. Live Music. http://blog.ricardsa-livemusic.com/2010/12/wu-lyf-live-aux-transmusicales-de-rennes/. Retrieved 2011-05-03. 
  8. ^ "MIT & WU LYF live @ CTM" (in German). Berlin: intro.de. http://www.intro.de/news/newsticker/23063062/mit-und-wu-lyf-live-ctm-fotostrecke-fluoreszierende-performances#. Retrieved 2011-05-03. 
  9. ^ "Go Tell Fire To The Mountain album review - Louder Than War". http://louderthanwar.com/featured/wu-lyf-go-tell-fire-to-the-mountain-album-review. Retrieved 2011-06-10. 
  10. ^ "Go Tell Fire To The Mountain album review - Neo Noir". http://neo-noir.tumblr.com/post/6359684751/go-tell-fire-to-the-mountain. Retrieved 2011-06-10. 
  11. ^ a b "Wu Lyf release first song from 'Go Tell Fire To The Mountain' online – audio". NME. 2011-03-30. http://www.nme.com/news/wu-lyf/55798. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  12. ^ Murray, Robin (2011-04-12). "WU LYF Add Tour Dates – Manchester band to break cover". Clash (magazine). http://www.clashmusic.com/news/wu-lyf-add-tour-dates. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  13. ^ Stickler, Jon (2011-04-13). "WU LYF Reveal Dates For UK Tour & Tickets". StereoBoard.com. http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/164877/9. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  14. ^ "Wu Lyf top Manchester International Festival's new music". BBC News. 2011-03-17. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-12777779. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  15. ^ a b Michaels, Sean (2011-04-23). "WU LYF – so good at being a band that nobody's asked about their music yet". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/23/wu-lyf-manchester. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  16. ^ Kolitz, Daniel (2011-04-14). "Wu Lyf: Playing on Prefix". KCRW. http://blogs.kcrw.com/musicnews/2011/04/wu-lyf-playing-on-prefix/. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  17. ^ Wilkinson, Matt (2011-01-06). "WU LYF Are Fucking Amazing – And Here's The Proof". NME. http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&title=wu_lyf_1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  18. ^ "Wu Lyf: il quartetto anarchico di Manchester" (in Italian). Rolling Stone (Italy). http://www.rollingstonemagazine.it/musica/video/Wu-Lyf-il-quartetto-anarchico-di-Manchester/37013. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  19. ^ "Opinie – Festival programmatie anno 2011: Duck Sauce en de rest" (in Dutch). Kicking the Habit (Holland). 2011-04-29. http://kickingthehabit.nl/2011-04-29/duck-sauce-en-de-rest. Retrieved 2011-05-09. "dat klinkt als Tom Waits in een kerk onder begeleiding van stonede garagerock" 
  20. ^ Graham-Dixon, Andrew (2011-07-12). "BBC - BBC Two Programmes - The Culture Show, 2011/2012, Episode 5, Wu Lyf". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00j4xpl. Retrieved 2011-07-13. 
  21. ^ Murray, Robin (2011-04-12). "Should one day fill stadiums". Clash (magazine). http://www.clashmusic.com/live-review/wu-lyf-live. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 
  22. ^ Cohen, Ian (2011-06-23). "Go Tell Fire to the Mountain". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15567-go-tell-fire-to-the-mountain/. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 
  23. ^ Lowe, Zane (2011-05-25). "Hottest Record - Wu Lyf - Dirt". BBC Radio 1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/zanelowe/2011/05/hottest_record_-_wu_lyf_-_dirt.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  24. ^ "Wu Lyf – Heavy Pop / Concrete Gold " at Discogs
  25. ^ "Wu Lyf – Dirt " at Discogs
  26. ^ Bevan, David (2011-09-20). "New WU LYF: "We Bros (Single Version)"". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/news/44055-new-wu-lyf-we-bros-single-version/. Retrieved 2011-10-16. 
  27. ^ Chart Stats - Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain, Chart Stats, http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=50372, retrieved 2011-06-20 

External links