RYLI-Come and Get Me

No, it’s not one of those new fangled spellings of Riley that is spotted on a desk during an elementary school open house or even a typo of RIYL. They simply take their moniker from the first initial of each member. From the strike of the first note to the ring of the last, Ryli draw listeners back to a halcyon time that might have never really existed or maybe for just one Unrest song out of 120 Minutes. Yea-Ming’s distinctive voice is complementary to the layers of arpeggiated guitars that are evocative of early R.E.M.-when the Athens quartet connected bucolic country to mid-sixties influenced pop & garage like on Reckoning and Dead Letter Office. Ryli’s jangly pop not only encompasses early-R.E.M., Paisley Underground and Flying Nun sounds, but also sonically overlaps with the vibrant Spanish indie-pop scene of the early 2000s led by bands like Nosoträsh on Elefant Records. 

Making a Name for Themselves
Ryli quickly separates themselves from the nondescript or “samey” out there with their command of melodies, harmonies and arrangements. (Samey is how we described numerous college rock bands in the ‘80s that jangled like R.E.M., but lacked the captivating melodies needed for memorable songs.) Upon first learning of Yea-Ming’s newest foray, all I was hoping for was for Ryli to merely be like early R.E.M. with better vocals (ha). However, they have vastly exceeded my expectations. Each song delivers top-tier pop brimming with copious hooks and imbued with Yea-Ming’s resonant vocals. With their years of collective experience, they are so far ahead of the fly-by-night bands that receive internet hype-day in and day out. Their varied pathways have converged on this debut record where they have combined their strengths to create a world and sound entirely of their own.

L to R: Ian McBrayer (drums), Yea-Ming Chen (vocalist/guitar),
Luke Robbins (bass), Rob Good (lead guitar), photo by Corey Poluk

Green Grow the Rushes

Ryli is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Yea-Ming Chen (Yea-Ming and The Rumours), lead guitarist Rob Good (The Goods), bassist Luke Robbins (ex-Latitude, RE Seraphin), and drummer Ian McBrayer (ex-Sonny and The Sunsets, ex-Healing Potpourri). This lineup quickly coalesced into a band adept at building up and carrying out a guitar-forward sound that catapults Chen’s vocals. In other words, they wield their instruments in an economical, yet evocative way with their instant rapport. “Medicine Speed” is hypotonic, upbeat and unabashed crash pop with the joyous appearance of a bobbing organ solo that appears 3/4th through the song and sustains into the fade. In a way, Ryli's sound resembles the still unheralded Slumber Party debut album from the turn of the century, but sped up and surging ahead with a greater sense of urgency. 

First-Call

Yea-Ming’s highly competent and melodic compositions are enhanced by the involvement of Rob Good. The entire band provides the arrangements for Yea-Ming's characteristic yearning and bittersweet vocals that rise from earthy registers to soaring heights. The talented musican is finally receiving overdue recognition from influential outlets like Chickfactor and her mesmerizing vocals are in high demand in the Bay Area for musical projects like Organi as they add lush layers of depth and dimension that enhance the allure of any musical pursuit.  

Second Guessing
Their solid sound is mainly ‘60s and ‘80s influenced, but with dashes of ‘70s Power Pop & Post-Punk and nods to the messed-up ‘90s when Lush would play in the searing sun-when they should have been headlining American pavilions. Besides the aforementioned influences, hints of Arts & Leisure, Housemartins, Modern English, the Primitives. the Jesus & Mary Chain, Cast, cub, the Cure, the Church and Cinerama can be detected. From these UK and US starting points, their sound follows slightly different paths along their decidedly California-based musical sensibilities. On the pastoral pop title track “Come and Get Me” the coda recedes across the Beach Fossils to return out to the expanses of the sea. Not only do they express the shifting atmopherics of the greater Bay Area, but they also capture the churning rhythm of breaking waves that is undeniably coastal Californian.

Falling into Place

“I Think I Need You Around” is bathed in echo and first-rate melodies like “I Want You Around” by the Ramones. Their melodic arrangements come to the fore on what was their first single and highlight their collective capacity to compose sweeping melodies and instantly catchy songs. Yea-Ming continues to take the sound to unexpected places as “Downtown” radiates charged atmospherics that reminds me of “Havalina” by the Pixies with her Kim Deal-ish delivery. Guitars jangle and twangle radiantly throughout “Friend Collector.” Perhaps this song title is hinting at “Star Collector” recorded by the Monkees (and composed by Goffin and King)?  Nonetheless, this dashing song, featuring intersecting & intertwining guitars and strong melody lines, is certainly topical for these distracting times.

Harmonic Convergence

Long time listeners (both of the Hawaiian Getaway and Dreamdate variety) have always known that Yea-Ming has what it takes to write, sing and play stunningly melodic and memorable songs that are attuned to the moment, while also echoing the fleeting and best moments of the past. Now the rest of the world can catch up to this band that is just getting started, but already sound fully-fledged and a step ahead. 

L to R: Rob Good (lead guitar), Luke Robbins (bass)
Ian McBrayer (drums), Yea-Ming Chen (vocals, guitar)
photo by Bobby Martinez