The sound of New Zealand's Yumi Zouma has progressed quite a bit recently. And while it's still fair to dub them the New Wave Fleetwood Mac, the outfit's work has revealed a depth in the mellower side of alt-rock that it's unlikely others would have unearthed. That side is explored and expanded upon here on Present Tense, the new record out on Polyvinyl tomorrow.
Opener "Give It Hell" sounds like Alex Lahey to me, while current hit "Where the Light Used to Lay" is its own animal altogether. Bracing and subtly soaring, this is one elegant single. The vocals of Christie Simpson anchor this, allowing the gently upfolding hooks to finally take flight. Elsewhere, "In the Eyes of Our Love", the loudest thing here, cuts loose a bit, even as the Moyet-esque "Honestly, It's Fine" stands as one of the highlights of Present Tense. One could wish that more cuts here revealed inflections taken from The Cure like closer "Astral Projection" does, but, overall, Present Tense is a pretty flawless exploration of a version of AOR that's as in debt to indie as it is in league with catchy-as-heck mainstream pop.
Present Tense is out on Friday via Polyvinyl.
More details on Yumi Zouma via the band's official website.