I regret to inform you all that this will likely be the last time I will ever get to post about WU LYF, the mysterious, frenetic rockers from Manchester. Although the rest of the band's future is unclear, lead singer Ellery James has written a pretty definitive farewell note in which he declared, "WU LYF is dead to me..." Since this note was published, the band's Facebook page was scrubbed, and no other band members have chosen to comment. However, the band's official website is still intact so don't pour that 40 just yet.
It is super easy to call WU LYF maximalist --roaring vocals, ricocheting drums --but my favorite thing about the band has always been restraint. Even the most anthemic shout-a-long has exceedingly specific, deliberate melodic decisions. Sometimes the entire guitar riff of a song is like four notes, but they play the shit out of those four notes until they reach perfection. "T R I U M P H" --that arpeggiated guitar lick!! --is a track that would have made me really optimistic about the band's future were it not for the accompanying news.
So in much the same way WU LYF entered the music scene--out of nowhere, but instantly transfixing --they have apparently exited.
