by Joseph Purcell

Manchester’s Wu Lyf were cited to be the next in the royal lineage of great bands to emerge from the city. While critical acclaim followed, commercial success didn’t and the band vanished as quickly as they’d appeared. Now, some eight years later, bassist, Tom McClung, has re-emerged, stripped away the sharp guitar driven musical fusion and plumped for a debut full of shiny, 60s style summer pop.

I Wanna Live In My Dreams bristles from its opening drumbeat, with more than a tip to the feted Wall of Sound era. Lung has produced an album with a number of sugar coated pop gems, described best by the man himself as ‘a kaleidoscopic dreamscape recorded in full audial technicolour.’ 2 Real evokes the delight of a Belle and Sebastian record: melodic and comforting in equal measure.

However, as A Dream is U progresses, we are taken through a journey of pop through the ages, and it can – in some respects – feel like it doesn’t make up the sum of its influences. Beach Boys – tick; Beatles – tick. And it’s only when he breaks free, notably highlights Unnecessary Love and Up & Down, he is capable of producing beautiful pockets of joy. Up & Down is purposeful – bursting with searing bursts of euphoric strings and juxtaposed pockets of gloom. A delightful marriage.

A Dream is U is a debut record full of intrigue. He has shown his capability to create punchy poptastic moments – it just maybe lacks some of the experimentation shown by his previous band.

Secret Meeting score: 69

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