Wu Lyf have shared the “simple, sweet love song” ‘The Fool’, and uploaded a parody version featuring Homer Simpson’s voice on Spotify.
The new track taken from the Manchester indie band’s long-awaited second album, ‘A Wave That Will Never Break’. Set for release on April 10, the record is the follow-up to 2011’s ‘Go Tell Fire To The Mountain’, and has already been previewed with the urgent ‘Love Your Fate’.
Now, the band are back with a more stripped-back, ethereal song, which sees them lean into ambient, tranquil instrumentals, heartfelt vocal melodies, and airy guitar riffs.
“The heartbreak and the letting go/ We found the punchline to this cosmic joke/ We know that we need to know that everything is love,” sings frontman Ellery James Roberts, as the track gradually introduces a thumping electronic riff.
“Adam loved his woman so/ rebelled against the Holy Ghost / defied the very word of God/ he’s such a fool for that love/ I’m always such a fool for your love.”
“‘The Fool’ is one of those special songs that just appeared almost fully formed whilst jamming in the weeks before we went into record with sonic boom,” Roberts shared. “It is a simple, sweet love song that leans into rock ’n’ roll cliché, giving voice to the archetypal holy fool – one who yearns after their lover as a path toward union with the divine.”
The track is available now on the band’s L Y F Community – a platform the band have built to share music directly with listeners, outside of traditional streaming models – and Wu Lyf have also trolled fans on Spotify by uploading a meme-version of the single to the streaming giant.
That version plays into the viral ‘AI Homer Simpson’ trend, with vocals replaced with AI-generated ones that sound like The Simpsons character.
In that Spotify meme version, there is a message added from Wu Lyf at the one-minute mark, which encourages fans to go to their website to check out the actual song. “Slopify is dead. Long live Wucify,” the AI-generated Simpsons says. “Don’t be a fool, listen to the full song exclusively on WORLDUNITE.ORG. Love you forever. D’oh!”
The move comes after the band removed their music starting with single ‘A New Life Is Coming’ – their first release in 13 years – from Spotify last September in protest of Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s investment in AI military drone tech, as well as out of “disdain for what the Spotify algorithm and economics has done to music culture”.
As well as releasing the new single, Wu Lyf have announced a worldwide online listening party for members of their L Y F Community on Easter Sunday (April 5), as well as some intimate UK live shows, which will be held in partnership with independent record shops later this month.
Dates kick off in Leeds on April 9, and continue with shows in Liverpool, Bristol and London. These add to the previously announced live shows the band have planned, including a stop at Albert Hall in Manchester, as well as a headline tour across North America. Visit here for tickets, and to find out more about the listening party.
Wu Lyf tour dates are:
APRIL
9 – Leeds Jumbo Records @ Brudenell
11 – Liverpool Jacaranda Records @ Baltic
13 – Bristol Rough Trade Records @ Thekla
15 – London Rough Trade Records @ Village Underground
24 –Brooklyn, NY Elsewhere
26 – Washington, DC Union Stage
28 – Boston, MA The Sinclair
30 – Toronto, ON Mod Club
MAY
2 – Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
4 – Seattle, WA Neumos
5 – Portland, OR Aladdin
7 – San Francisco, CA Independent
8 – Los Angeles, CA Lodge Room
9 – Los Angeles, CA Lodge Room
JUNE
13 – Manchester Albert Hall
The indie band formed in 2008, with their name standing for World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation. They shared their debut album in June 2011 and went on to gather a cult following.
In 2012, they started hinting at new material before deciding to call it quits. They confirmed the news while on stage at the Manchester HMV Ritz venue, with the frontman telling the crowd “Goodbye forever”.
In the time before they reunited, the frontman went on to form Lost In Heaven, while other members Evans Kati, Tom McClung and Joe Manning went on to make music under the name Los Porcos, along with three members of the band FAMY.
The post Wu Lyf share “simple, sweet love song” with ‘The Fool’ – while trolling Spotify with Homer Simpson version appeared first on NME.
