Say Sue Me are from Busan, South Korea and their new album, released in April is a delight. Here’s “But I Like You”.
Sumi Choi is the guitarist, vocalist and lyricist and also presumably the origin of the band’s name. She rates Yo La Tengo as an influence and also the kind of long-lasting music making institution she aspires to.
Early Yo La Tengo is also a good reference point for the manner in which Say Sue Me effortlessly assimilate a wide range of stylistic influences, and incorporate elements of surf music, classic 60’s girl-group pop (as filtered through The Jesus & Mary Chain’s fuzz & reverb), French Ye-Ye pop, 80’s guitar pop, garage rock and shoegaze – sometimes in the same song.
The album “Where We Were Together” is a perfect collection of guitar pop songs in a range of styles, performed in with unaffected enthusiasm, with Sumi delivering lyrics balancing melancholy with optimism. Highly recommended for fans of Alvvays, Trick Mammoth, Fazerdaze, and, of course, Yo La Tengo.
Oh, and The Shop Assistants too:
Pop Lib 