Yea-Ming and the Rumours-Residue

Four albums into their consistent run, Yea-Ming & the Rumours have released their most provocative and pop-forward album yet with Residue. It's no secret that we all hear and experience music differently. It's all part of what makes the artistic world go round. We come to our favorite musicians and groups with certain expectations and on different levels of degrees. Whether it's a major stadium act adorned by millions by or a cult musician who seems tied down by work obligations, it's what keeps us anticipating new albums and searching the internet for show and/or tour announcements. Additionally, we have our preferred phases of our favorites and embrace their "return to form"-whatever subjective form that is.

Sidetracks

Stepping back from what makes listeners feel comfortable, allows musicians space for growth, development and surprise. Being multi-faceted, flexible, and versatile are still part of the criteria used to assess artists. While the Ramones perfected their formula early on and pretty much remained the same before eventually aging out, Blondie took a different trajectory. What if Blondie just stayed in their Lower East Side lane and never merged to bring seemingly disparate elements together for some of the most remarkable pop music of the 20th century? Both bands eventually became legendary, influential and iconic (i.e., t-shirts) which testifies we cannot make very valid or accurate assessments amidst the activity. Time and distance are required for comparison, contrast and reassessment.

Yea-Ming Chen, Photo by Corey Poluk

I came into Residue with an initial reaction regarding the denser production values and I left with the realization that Yea-Ming and the Rumours are making their own way, while striking a balance between the adventurism of Blondie and the straightforwardness of the Ramones. For instance, "Sweet Opiate," a slinky and shimmering dance pop song with a Cardigans/St. Etienne slant, makes clear sense in the context of a group diversifying their sound and expanding their range, while “Uncommon Dreaming” works for those who prefer them tapping into their innate strengths of twangy folk-rock-pop.

Things truly kicked in for me on "Waist" with its resonating line: “Oh, it’s been quite a year” and then a big smile broke over my face when I heard the dashing "Cold." It might be the best song of 2026! It reminded me of a Fastbacks number played by the Feelies! A joyous rush is felt in one vibrant sunburst of a song (albeit with stormy lyrics). Just as this punchy song gets up to full speed, it detours for one of the most charming organ solos ever.

“Cold” is also the transition point that sets the scene for the rest of the album. The second half of the record casts a melancholic, subtle and understated atmosphere, yet the songs retain an innate sense of catchiness and hope through the Darklands. Additionally, these finely-crafted songs are built with high structural integrity as this is arguably the most accomplished version of the Rumours. For instance, the sparkling and spiraling lap steel solo on “Uncommon Dreaming” could be Eóin Galvin’s finest recorded moment.  

 

The album takes on an additional hushed atmosphere a la Cindy on “Birds Fly Home.” Cyclical themes of personal & artistic authenticity contend with contradiction, compromise, the pull of the past, multiple standards and expectations as Yea-Ming musically pauses to gather her thoughts over the course of the second side. After this acknowledgement of cognitive dissonance, reconciliation and transformation can begin again with the human and humble admission of “Mistakes” made. This austere closer, featuring Yea-Ming’s ornate fingerpicking, also evokes Dear Nora’s moving cover of Dylan’s “Girl from the North County.”

As many young bands around the globe now emulate the ‘80s & ‘90s heyday of indie-pop and crash pop, Yea-Ming and the Rumours maintain their unmistakable, yet welcoming sounds. Operating from a perspective of possibility, Yea-Ming demonstrates the remarkable ability to further evolve and refine as she incorporates additional life experiences, lessons and musical approaches, while also retaining the youthful sense of wonder and undeniable melodies that attracted listeners in the first place. With Residue, Yea-Ming has taken another courageous turn and listeners can go along with her quest for understanding.  For me, it took a little longer this time around due to my own production preferences, but I’m thankful for the reckoning as there is really no other group out there like this in the world. 

L to R: Eóin Galvin: lead guitar, lap steel, Yea-Ming Chen: vocals, guitar, organ, Rob Good: bass
Luke Robbins: drums. Photo by Corey Poluk

Addendum, I added their cover of “Pale Blues Eyes” as a bonus track on the CD-R version I made following the path of the Feelies when they concluded Only Life with “What Goes On."

The Numbers-My Beautiful Distance

It’s the Numbers’ second album of heartfelt and bittersweet jangle twang in less than a year. Seemingly out of the blue, Bomp!/Turnaround Records released their Mad Day Out last July and now Kool Kat Musik has surprised us with My Beautiful Distance here in June. Their compositions are sturdy and rugged vehicles that transport their built-in melodies, while their harmonies take them over the San Gabriel mountain tops. The songs frequently take the rural route, going further into the heartland and racking up more country miles this time around.

“Like Being Alone” continues the tradition of connecting the vintage sound & ethos of Central California to the racetrack sprawl of Los Angeles. The song barrels through on Terry Tutor’s piano playing. “Watch It Go” features sundown harmonies ramping up Buffalo Springfield’s Sunset Strip to America’s Ventura Highway. One wonders if “Watch It Go” is about a sunset or a lament for the backsliding of our society or both. To top things off, Greg Krueger provides a captivating slide guitar solo. Elvis-infused vocals circa “Suspicious Minds” and the larger than life ethos of Waylon Jennings cross paths on “I Remember Everything.” The Numbers’ current sound is also evocative of the brief phase in the mid to late ‘80s when AOR radio, in some markets, started playing select bolo-tied roots rock acts like Lone Justice and the Long Ryders, Michael Penn was briefly a critical and commercial success, Gene Clark would appear at McCabe’s and the Palomino and Peter Case continued on the outskirts as a troubadour he is and was before the Nerves and Plimsouls.  

“Love and Doubt” is the return of the indelible and perfect pop song.  It turns up like the 1 or 2 ultra-catchy "mix tape worthy" gems heard prospecting through a videotaped episode of 120 Minutes-the day after setting the timer on the VCR. Its lilting chorus brings to mind “Heavenly Pop Hit” by the Chills, "Pure" by the Lightning Seeds or the Bluetones’ “Slight Return.” The middle stretch of the album attests to their skilled musicianship with Beach Boys harmonies coming to shore on “Giving up the Ghost” and an exemplary slide guitar solo on “A World That Won’t Turn to Me.” They are not afraid to express some bitterness on the Roy Orbison-esque title track of “My Beautiful Distance.” The melodramatic ballad presents a protagonist remaining steadfast, hopeful and determined to make it through the school of hard knocks. “What Happened?” sounds like Del Shannon backed by the Smithereens sippin’ on Country Time Lemonade with their twangy guitars seemingly tuned down a half step. “Why Should I Care” is evocative of the Hollies, namely their classic “I Can’t Let Go,” while "Incidentally" (The Least I Can Do) echoes the ‘65 Byrds with its command of chordal harmonies and a majestic 12-string solo.

Their lyrics seem open to interpretation, but in combination with the music the Numbers are able to aptly express the swirling emotional undercurrents amidst the turbulence and trials of life. One of the album’s major themes is handling the disappointing and disjointed aspects of life along with temporarily transcending its quotidian aspects with harmonious music. There is something comforting in the familiar and consistent sound of the Numbers in these trying times and they do it remarkably well. In the course of two albums here in the mid-20s, they have carved out their own distinctive sound intertwining jangle and twang. All of this should not come as a surprise given their foundatonal debut Anthology '64-'67 was so immediate in 1983 and continues to hold up so well today.