WIM

WIM (Piano's)

At 1 a.m., Piano’s back room is curiously unfilled. The band WIM is setting up, and the first thing the lead singer—who, with his scruff, ripped jeans and a belt of jangly hippie detritus, looks like he just came back from a vision trip in the outback—does is take off his shoes. The guitarist does the same.

I once dated a guitarist who never liked to wear shoes. Now I distrust the type, and curse silently, fearing that WIM will certainly suck.

Luckily, I’m proven wrong on all counts, and almost immediately. The set begins with soft, harmonizing moans from lead singer and guitarist, and a slow, building, rhythm from the kick drum. There are hand claps, mantra-like melodies and weaving, gorgeous psychedelia, broken up by tight, Mean Mr. Mustard types of poppy interludes. The lead singer may look like a space cadet, especially with his bejeweled fingers and curling wrists doing a flighty sort of choreography to illustrate his words, but he’s got the voice of a strong frontman—Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson comes to mind with his esoteric, lullaby croon. And the set—a teaser ranging from the softest harmonies to tribal drumming freakouts to heavy, sensuous use of the bow on an electric guitar—left me wanting more. WIM is sticking around New York for the next month or so, with an album release on label Modular People (and a show?) November 15th. It’s tempting to carve out one of those stupid pigeonholes and call these guys the Australian Grizzly Bear, but out of respect for the original Grizz, alas, I cannot. Still, definitely my favorite surprise act of CMJ so far. - L Magazine

I've had some delightful nights at the reassuringly frozen-in-amber Echo Park French restaurant Taix -- a one-hour interview with Jenny Lewis that turned into three hours of cracking wise over endless soup and salad; a first date that yielded my current relationship (those two nights were on different occasions, alas). But we've always gone for the salty-old-man-in-a-bow-tie vibe, never for music.

That's going to change Friday. As part of Filter's Culture Collide Festival, a bunch of shows got rejiggered and some unexpectedly marquee shows ended up in the restaurant's bar.

Avi Buffalo, who we've profiled at length, has gone through a pretty major re-imagining of his Sub Pop-signed indie project, with a very different lineup and (we hear) a new focus on his roots in blues and gospel guitar styles. If you haven't seen him play, let it be known that he puts jaws on the floor any time he touches an instrument. He headlines the night at 11:30, atop a solo set from Ian Ball of Gomez and the spritzy pop-rock of the Postelles.

But the real reason to get there early (8:30, we're not kidding) is the proper L.A. debut of a five-piece from Sydney called Wim. By chance, I met their singer Martin Solomon in a bar two years ago when he was just passing through town, and he passed along a five-track demo that hinted at a really deep well of classic pop songwriting and adventurous arrangement promise. I posted on it and figured that might be the last I heard from them.

Well, lo and behold, now they've signed to Modular Records, recorded a full length with Bob Clearmountain (who mixed "Born In the U.S.A." and records by Roxy Music and INXS) and became a totally devastating live act. Wim is getting a lot of early "Rufus Wainwright fronting Grizzly Bear" descriptions, which is a pretty fair place to start. Its self-titled debut has the former's Carnegie Hall swoon and the latter's knack for making Laurel Canyon guitars and keys intertwine like a chamber group, but the drummer is a huge metal fan and the songs have the brevity and melodic immediacy of a band out for blood on the pop charts.

And it's no mixing trick -- in person the band murders four-part harmonies that will leave you dizzy and haunted for the whole ride home. - LA Times blog

It’s strange to see a band who outwardly seem to be mismatched in the way they dress or their general appearance, but who go on to prove that they are in tune musically. This was certainly the case with Australians WIM. Lead singer Martin Solomon brought a lot of charisma to his role, which the rest of the still-young band seemed to rely on as they played on dutifully in the background, providing simple indie tunes to back up Solomon’s emphasized vocals. However, for the final song, everyone seemed to come out of their shells to hit something or play as loud as they could, building the noise to a musical peak and a notable conclusion to their set. It may not have been the most original music, but WIM seemed to show evidence that they have untapped potential that they could use in the future, both live and in the studio. - onethirtybpm

The CMJ Music Marathon kicks off today in New York, as throngs of badge-carrying, beer-soaked concertgoers descend upon hundreds of venues across the city in a collective quest to discover the next Vampire Weekend. More than 1,300 mostly unknown, unsigned bands are slated to perform at the five-day festival.
Below, some of the best, worst and weirdest band names on the schedule.

Best Name Bands:
Bikini
Bleached
Class Actress
Coasting
Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr
Deathrow Tull
The Golden Awesome
Neon Indian
Netherfriends
Wim - Amplifier

WIM get’s on the CMJ Windish Seagate CMJ mixtape


To celebrate creativity and support emerging artists, Seagate and The Windish Agency bring you a special compilation of Windish CMJ ’11 artists. Download, enjoy, share and be inspired.

As the music industry continues to evolve and change, The Windish Agency is dedicated to finding new and inventive ways to bring live performance to music fans everywhere. Seagate is the hard drive and storage provider of choice for artists, musicians and filmmakers. Learn more atmedia.seagate.com/artists.

This collaboration is the result of Seagate and The Windish Agency having mutual goals to enable creativity, inspire a new generation of artists, and help develop new platforms for distribution, enjoyment and discovery.
- seagate

See link to free download - Urban Outfitters Blog

As it does every fall, the CMJ Music Marathon came to New York City last week. They don't call it a marathon for nothing: For a band, performing in the festival can mean playing 10 shows in five days. For a fan, the choices of what to see are daunting and distant. Alabama Shakes might be playing on Delancey Street, while Teen is in Brooklyn and The Lonely Forest is playing KEXP's Showcase at the Ace Hotel, 20 minutes away. For music journalists, it's hard not to wish you could clone yourself to take it all in. In the end, the best way to have a rewarding CMJ experience might be to talk with a friend whose taste you trust.

On this edition of All Songs Considered, Bob Boilen sits down with two New York journalists: Maura Johnston, music editor for The Village Voice, and Sydney Brownstone, a writer and videographer for The L Magazine. Together, the three pick a dozen favorite acts from this year's CMJ, while sharing stories of their disparate journeys through the festival.

Check out a video of Zola Jesus in concert, performing in New York during the week of CMJ.

Plus WIM in Playlist - See Link - npr

Who doesn’t love a band line-up that begins at noon? CMJ, a 5 day 24/7 music marathon, occupied venues all over Manhattan and Brooklyn showcasing global new talent last week. Saturday, the final day of the festival, my audiophile friend Nancy and I caught the Aussie BBQ, a showcase sponsored by Sounds Australia at The Delancey. Promoting 20 native bands, the Australian artists were injected throughout the revolving week long schedule.

The bohemian barefoot glam rockers, WIM, were a standout. Taking to the stage with a West Coast ease, WIM’s set began with a psychedelic slow build up with a theatrical tribal drumming finish. Evoking a Morrison mood, the melodic organ infused tracks smoothly transitioned between songs with their esoteric vocals and instrumentals.

Another favorite, singer songwriter Sam ‘Guineafowl‘ Yeldman and band brought their sleek polished pop tunes to the early afternoon rock show. With energetic good looks, the memorable hand clapping melodies were a great ambassador for the Southern Hemisphere.

Check out the iPhone vids below and if they do not display in your email, visit Sparked.biz. - sparked

Aussie indie rockers WIM wade in a variety of styles, crafting unfurling, operatic songs like first single “See You Hurry” as well as plucky odes like “Colossus.” The songs contain somewhat unconventional percussive elements, which lend songs from their debut WIM freshness and singularity. Grab downloads of both “See You Hurry” and Twin Shadow’s remix of the single, and check out the accompanying video “See You Hurry,” which features a nude model (Louise Van De Vorst) searching for a token of her past. Artsy! - stereogum

After a string of shows at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon, Aussie band WIM has been radiating a professionalism that can only come from a solid footing in songwriting and a long stint on the road. The recent Modular signee took to Glassland’s stage with a graceful nature that showed how comfortable the five-piece has become with its live show.

WIM plays a dense, melancholic style of indie rock. Lead singer Martin Solomon’s vocal style is most comparable to Paul Banks or Ian Curtis, and he performs with a stage presence of someone twice his age. His reverb-soaked lyrics are complemented by the fantastic harmonies of his bandmates. The guitar work from WIM guitarist Saul Wodak is also outstanding, and works only to build on the mature and tasteful songwriting style the band has developed.

WIM shone with its chaotic noise breakdowns, driving rhythm section and blissful keyboard work, which is also showcased on the band’s new album that’s set for release November 15. If this show is anything to go by, this band is only going to grow.
- CMJ

With May 21’s doomsday predictions having come and gone, it’s hard to fault anyone for brushing aside any latent Damoclean prognostications. But these Bad-Seeded Aussies cast a dark enough specter to give any skeptic pause for thought. Plus signature track “See You Hurry” comes with a suitably brooding Twin Shadows remix.

http://www.themusicnetwork.com/reviews/album/2011/06/30/album-review-wim-wim/ - NME

WIM
(Modular/Universal)
It’s difficult to pinpoint the peculiar allure of WIM, a Sydney quintet who have been steadily building a backlog of well-considered praise for their brooding folk-pop since the release of an EP a few years back. That this admiration has been earned largely on the merits of their live show rather than through clever marketing campaigns and garish social media tactics goes some way to explaining the appeal.
WIM have built a moody atmosphere to traverse a debut album that relies equally on a base of guitar and keys. Like a bowerbird, they specialise in texturising their nest with all things in the key of blue, from mandolin, brass, accordion and lush choir-like backing vocals, though largely avoid the sparkling decorative effects that usually enamor the bird. Opening tracks Colussus and See You Hurry provide eerie yet stunning introductions, menacing enough to be a soundtrack to a desperate chase through a damp, dark forest. On the flipside, a little 60s swagger creeps into Something For You and Monster And Me. Elsewhere America sneaks in some subtle country vibrancy across its tempo and guitar sounds.
What’s missing from this formula is the chance to get up close and personal to singer Martin Solomon, due to his often aloof lyrics of winds and willows, rivers and reeds. There’s no disputing his ability, particularly as he switches between a lazy Thom Yorke drawl on Colussus’ carefully-considered interplay of keys and strings, to the sweeter lilt of John reminiscent of Josh Homme in his quieter moments.
This is a stylishly crafted album from WIM that sets an incredibly high bar in terms of arrangement and production considerations for other bands contemplating their debut longplayer. Accomplished, rich and in brief moments even jolly, WIM demonstrate exactly why immediacy is for suckers.
HHHH Tyler McLoughlan - Time Off

The Wicker Park mix is 26 tracks from artists we think should play next year’s festival. Each song was carefully selected and placed within the mix. You get the best experience when listening through the entire mix like an album but we’ll forgive you if you just want a few tracks.

Little Dragon – Ritual Union
Chuckamuck – Chuckamuck
Theophilus London – Last Name London
Charles Bradley – The World (Is Going Up In Flames)
Rites – Be Here
WIM – Something For You
SBTRKT – Wildfire
Carbon Tigers – What I Say
Rubblebucket – Silly Fathers
Dirty Gold – California Sunrise
Kellen & Me – Space Time Ride
Gardens & Villa – Black Hills
Givers – Ceiling of Plankton
Shadows On Stars – Punk Kids
The Orwells – Under the Flowers
Wu Lyf – Cave Song
Ty Segall – You Make The Sun Fry
North By North – Sick Sense
Real Estate – It’s Real
Harry’s Gym – Old Man
Secret Colours – Redemption
Hello Echo – The Coming Days
Snakes Say Hisss – Comes and Goes
Pepper Rabbit – Murder Room
The Crookes – Godless Girl
Beat Radio – Teenage Anthem for the Drunken Boat - http://popstache.com/

Things get off to a cracking start with recent Modular signing WIM, whose layered goodness beams out of the Carpark stage (which is actually more of a "square"), while most of the transplanted Surry Hills residents sweat it out. The first slot of the day is not a particularly good one to have, so it’s heartening to see that the local talent can still pull a sizable crowd. Most of whom are transfixed by singer Martin Solomon, whose Jesus-like appearance is augmented by an Andrew-W.K-esque all-white ensemble. It’s clear WIM are a good fit here, because Local Natives who take to the stage a few hours later, (and like a great many on today's bill actually), work on pretty much the same aesthetic; four part harmonies, singing keyboard players who beat floor toms and interesting chord changes. The difference is that Local Natives have a swelling fanbase and a cracking debut album out, but more on that later.
- The Vine

Simon Jankelson, Martin Solomon, Saul Wodak, Harry Thynne, Dustin Bookatz are WIM, a glam-rock-esque band currently touring their home country of Australia. Their debut album is slated for release in May and if this poignant music video is anything to go by, you’re in for something unexpected.

Directed by Daniel Askill, one of Australia’s most interesting art exports, the film takes us deep into a mystical forest; foggy and beautiful, we follow their wandering nude through the trees. The track See You Hurry is all romantic, ethereal harmonies and their peaceful protagonist is ultimately wild. It’s pure magic - Portable.tv

When you have George Lewis Jr, aka Twin Shadow, on your side you know you’re doing something right. Sydney band WIM recently got the remix treatment from him, take a listen to the dreamy 80's nostalgia that results… WIM – See You Hurry (Twin Shadow Remix) first twin shadow anything on JYK. weird. - Junk Yard Kicks

WIM
Modular/Universal
4 STARS

If it was possible to get Simon and Garfunkel, Ziggy Stardust and Grizzly Bear jamming some tunes together in a forest — let’s make that a forest in gypsy lands like Romania or Hungary — it might explain a little of the interesting sound of WIM.

While the Sydney five-piece has been seemingly under the radar since they formed in 2007, their debut album that was recorded and mixed by Bob Clearmountain (Springsteen, Roxy Music, INXS) in Los Angeles and is being released on cool label Modular means it won’t be too long before you hear and see this outfit everywhere.

Apart from the classic charm of the songwriting and the beautifully executed instrumentation, what will warm you most to WIM is the vocals of frontman Martin Solomon, whose rich, deep voice serenades with just a hint of eccentricity.

Gentle glam-folk melodies like See You Hurry will have you drifting off to a better place with Solomon joined by a choir for some romantic four-part harmonies.

On the ballad, John, things become more haunting with accordion and soft drums and imaginings they’re drowning their sorrows around a campfire with a bottle of red.

But mostly the vibe is uplifting with lots of piano-led melodies and soft rock stomps that are never excessive and just perfectly delivered.
RACHEL DAVISON - The WiRE

Words: Sarah Pratt

If you haven’t heard of WIM or even if you have, you may be under the impression that WIM is simply the name of a band, well now that’s not entirely true. SPOOK spoke with Martin, the fellow that leads the vocals of mystical tunes such as See You Hurry, and all was revealed. WIM, is indeed the name in which five greatly talented men perform under, but WIM is so much more than just a name, it’s a character. Martin does forewarn us that such character analyses are of his own and that the other members may hold different interpretations, nevertheless as he explains, ‘it’s just a name, and I suppose the name itself is sort of a bit ambiguous. Is it a name? Is it a boy’s name? Is it a girl’s name? We sort of created this character that is almost like a sixth member of the band in a way, some sort of silent member and I guess the idea was that if it’s a character, he or she will evolve, learn and grow, and have good times and have bad times.’

The name WIM is also faintly related to the great Wim Wenders, to which Martin explains, ‘I wouldn’t say that we’re named after Wim Wenders, I think it was sort of a nice addition to the meaning of the name.’ Well, Mr Wenders certainly thought so, as he emailed the boys to express his interest beyond the band’s name alone. ‘We stay in touch, it’s an amazing thing to know that he was purchasing our record, a beautiful thing,’ says Martin.

WIM ‘SEE YOU HURRY’ from ASKILL PROJECTS on Vimeo.

You see, the story of WIM does border on fairytale, that’s not to suggest that they’ve achieved overnight success, for the boys have been around since 2007, however it wasn’t until Dustin from the band’s friend of a friend came to watch them play that big things started to occur in quick succession. And, even though Martin described it as being a ‘terrible show,’ fortunately this particular friend of a friend didn’t think so, as she got in touch with her step-father, Bob Clearmountain, that guy who’s been involved with mixing projects for the likes of little-known people such as, Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones. So, with that the boys packed their bags and boarded a flight to LA, where they would record their debut album. ‘It was amazing, and it sort of really helped us believe that maybe this is the real thing, because somebody of his calibre could put work and time into us,’ says Martin.

LA did not disappoint the boys from Sydney in providing the ideal setting for the recording of their first album. ‘It was romantic, the time of our life. It was a bit of a dream, a clichéd dream, but definitely a dream to go make a record in Los Angeles. I think there’s sort of this misconception that it’s horrible, soul destroying, concrete jungle, but there’s a lot of magic there at the same time.’ Which fits WIM quite well, for they are a bit on the magical side, as are their live shows, which Martin describes as ‘a bit wilder than their record. There’s a lot of intention and a lot of passion that goes into playing live, and I guess we try where possible to give people a bit more of a spectacle.’ They’ve been able to offer this spectacle to quite a few crowds in recent times, with support tours for both Grace Woodroofe and Gypsy & The Cat, and now with their debut album’s release, headline shows of their own are going to follow. ‘We’re going to be playing with a couple of really cool bands, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say who they are just yet.’ So, for all the updates, keep your eyes peeled here. - SPOOK Magazine

by Caitlin Welsh

There’s a recognisably cinematic air to WIM’s debut, which is a thing reviewers say when music conjures up something more substantial than just a 'mood'; when it evokes pictures, grainy or gleaming or exotic or deeply familiar.

In WIM’s case, it's a dark fairy tale – the old-fashioned, everybody-dies-in-the-forest gloom of a Christian Andersen original, or perhaps the seamy, misanthropic whimsy of Jean-Pierre Jeunet or Tim Burton. From the creepy-children chorale of See You Hurry to the waltzing accordion of John, WIM have mined evocative effects to create a polished yet pleasantly peculiar sound.

The band’s best asset is singer Martin Solomon. His voice is a lovely thing, supple and sweet; it’s often reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright’s, lean and crooning one moment and stretching into a careless falsetto the next. But Solomon lacks Wainwright’s arch self-awareness as a vocalist, and it’s hard to get a sense of the person behind the pipes. The lyrics are so steeped in earthy, old-fashioned mythology and emotions – seahorses and water-babies, lamp-posts and love notes and looms – that the songs often feel similarly impersonal.

Several songs with a ‘60s feel stand out in particular for some reason – the Abbey Road strut of Something For You, which has more than a little of Maxwell’s Silver Hammer in its wry guitars, and the wistful sturdiness of Monster And Me, which has Solomon channelling Ray Davies just a tad. But WIM also have a way with a tune, and the ones here are almost uniformly lovely, melodies of hills and valleys, bucolic and rolling.

WIM are not quite the groundbreaking folk-pop pioneers we’ve been led to expect from a couple of years of gentle hype, but this is a signing experiment that should pay off for Modular in the long run. - TMN

WIM courted some helpful contacts before bursting on to the scene.
ADVICE to a young musician doing his first interview: don't mistake the call-conference operator for the journo.
''I just had a funny conversation with the guy who connected us. I thought he was you,'' laughs Martin Solomon, singer from emerging Sydney rock band WIM. ''We were talking about sex scandals for a minute.''
Any ones in particular?
''No but we were talking about how maybe one day they'd come in handy from a publicity point of view.''
Not that WIM need to resort to such tactics yet. At a time when bands amass a legion of Twitter followers before even playing a gig, the five-piece have been working hard behind the scenes since forming in 2007. It's part of the reason their self-titled debut - a moody guitar record that shares a similar sonic space to Grizzly Bear or Wild Beasts - sounds so accomplished and fully formed for a band who have in effect come out of the blue.
''We've been making very big strides from behind the scenes and putting ourselves in positions,'' says Solomon, who discovered a latent talent for singing after growing up listening to Nina Simone. ''Now that it's time to come out of the woodwork, we actually have some quality things behind us and connections in place.''
Those connections are Sydney producer Tony Buchen (Dereb the Ambassador, Andy Bull); Bob Clearmountain, the American mixer behind Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA and Roxy Music's Avalon; and Sydney label Modular, which recently broke rank by signing WIM to its electro-heavy roster (Cut Copy, Architecture in Helsinki).
''I think both ourselves and Modular were excited by the idea of them going in a different direction and redefining themselves,'' Solomon says of the Modular deal. ''If we were able to be the first guard of that new wave, it's a really exciting opportunity for us.''
Last year, WIM and Buchen travelled to Los Angeles to record the album at Clearmountain's Santa Monica studio. His daughter had happened upon the band at an Oxford Art Factory gig.
As for their curious moniker, it refers to German director Wim Wenders but also a fictional sixth member evolving with the band.
WIM is out now through Modular.
Darren Levin

- Sydney Morning Herald

I’m reluctant to say that WIM have crawled out of the proverbial woodwork of relative obscurity, because this clumsy mental image is ill-fitted to describe the tight grace and smooth mysticism that has come to define their live shows. Instead, imagine a Sydney-based five piece whose haunting energy and ghostly harmonies illuminates a stage crawling with vines and creepers; the earthy voice of singer Martin Solomon hovering in an aura of coloured light and layered sounds.
It’s perhaps more apt to say that WIM have positively blossomed onto the scene, and in a big way.
One sparkling night before the release of their debut album, we found ourselves at the King’s Cross Hotel for WIM’s listening party, where band members Martin Solomon and Simon Jankelson enchanted us with stories of swans and serendipitous encounters.
I went to your residency at the top of the Kings Cross Hotel last year and I really liked the vibe you created there… you were all smeared with glitter, and were handing out glow sticks in this atmosphere of foliage and coloured light. How important is it for you to create this aesthetic? You have a bit of a forest theme going on.
Martin: I think it’s massively important. I think that we’ve always sort of felt like the musicians who endure the most are the ones who have a really strong visual component that works in conjunction with their music.
Simon: I think also the visual aspect is important for people to understand the music, because it creates an atmosphere, and I think that — especially our first album — has been quite atmospheric. The songs, they don’t always punch you over the face. On the whole I think there is a moody element to the music, and if we can create that energy in the room, hopefully people’s ears will be attuned to what they are seeing as well, and open up.
Is it gratifying to feel like you’re doing something different?
Simon: That’s definitely a part of it as well; we don’t want to just be another pub rock band. We’ve been investigating live, interactive elements to our show… things like visuals, things like lights that can respond to audience interaction.
Martin: Yeah the intention is definitely there. And I mean, if you are able to execute it in a way that is, refreshing, or new, or different or whatever you want to call it, I mean… Why wouldn’t you? Why play it safe? What’s the point?
Simon: We want to step outside the formulaic, established circuit because, while we appreciate and respect it, we don’t really feel that much a part of the beaten track. With this upcoming tour we are certainly looking for awesome places that will just make people have an adventure through the venue and the music.

One thing I really wanted to ask you was about your song writing. When I listen to WIM, there is a really strong sense of magic…
Martin: I like that.
When I hear ‘See You Hurry’ it’s all breezy and beautiful, but even in ‘John’, there are elements that remind me of circus music. Can you comment on what you’re trying to create?
Simon: I’ve always had the image of somebody finding a house where their grandparents have just passed away. They go up to this old, smoky room and they go through this record collection, and it’s old and dusty, and something just stands out. They put it on, and they’re just like: “This is amazing, where did this come from?”
Martin: I like that story, Simon, that’s a good story.
Simon: But we love theatre and magic and a sense of mystery and, I mean, you only need to go as far as Martin’s rings to kind of… [indicates to Martin’s heavily silvered, jewel-encrusted fingers]
Get a sense of that?
Simon: Yeah.
How much input did you have in the video clip for ‘See You Hurry?’ [video below]
Martin: It started from an idea that I had had and Daniel Askill, who directed the clip, was very, very open to sitting down and discussing ideas with me. I had brought to him a Roald Dahl short story called: ‘The Swan.’ It’s about these bullies who basically terrorise this young kid who loves bird watching. They come upon this swan, and they kill it, and they rip it’s wings off and tie it to him and it’s… it’s just, it’s really horrific. I guess that was sort of the genesis of the swan idea and then… I don’t know, Daniel just sort of took it and ran with it in a different direction. I think that some of the metaphor of the story is definitely still in there, but he sort of reinterpreted the idea in a very, very Daniel way, which I think was something that we really wanted. I think it is a really important thing to be able to, yes, collaborate but also to be able to sometimes just let things go.

Was your experience in LA transformative? How would you describe it?
Simon: Amazing.
Martin: [at the same time] Romantic, beautiful, the times of our lives.
Simon: Put it this way, we were at Oxford Art Factory, playing a gig. A girl, who… what’s her connection? She’s a friend of [bass player] Dustin’s?
Martin: She’s a friend of a friend of Dustin’s.
Simon: She’s a friend of a friend of Dustin’s. She saw our gig, and she basically got in contact with us and said: “You guys are great, you should come to LA and do something with us.” I think at first we sort of disregarded it…
Martin: Can I just say, for the record, that I did not disregard it!
Simon: We looked up her dad, who was Bob Clearmountain, on Wikipedia… The Stones, Springsteen, ra ra ra and we were like, “Ok, wow.” Literally, we got off the plane, we end up in his studio, he walks in… He sort of said [Simon puts on a Western drawl]: “Hi boys, I’m Bob Clearmountain.” And we were just like: “Wow.” And then he goes: “Why don’t you boys go and get your instruments into the studio now and I’ll record some of your songs,” and we were just like: “Yes! Yes! Whatever Bob.”
Martin: Can I just say he’s not a cowboy from the South… he’s lived in New York all of his life.
Simon: But he was like this amazing, old-timer, wise kind of music prophet, imparting some of his experience on us, and it was incredible.
Martin: But Bob wasn’t the LA experience, I mean he was the key to the LA experience. What a dream… I think we were really swept away by this sort of LA mysticism. It was just highly, highly romantic, and imbued us with this amazing sense of self-belief and confidence, that these people who are really masters of what they do would take it upon themselves to take us under their wings. Without them, without their belief in us, it would be a very different record.
What would your record have been like if you hadn’t been there and had those experiences?
Martin: Probably a little bit more lo-fi, let’s say.
Simon: Yeah it could have been more lo-fi.
Martin: I think the arrangements would have been really similar but… like you said, there is some sort of sense of mystery, of secret there… I can’t help but wonder whether that comes from that sense of excitement.
Simon: And honestly I can’t imagine it being in any other way than it happened, it feels right in so many ways.
WIM’s self-titled album is currently available though Modular Recording.
Interview: Jacinta Mulders - Oyster Magazine

Wim's self-titled debut is a bit of a drifter, wandering between piano-filled ambiance and heart-thumping indie-pop to dark, chilling blues and laid-back mountain folk. While only nine tracks deep, the album does not feel unfinished or shallow; it's fulfilling and ticks every box. Simply, an excellent first outing.

The penultimate track, Moth, probably best encapsulates the album in a single song, showing off WIM's harmonic talent and bluesy guts. It has the same melancholy brightness that this album is laden with, mixed with (at times) menacing drums overlaid with light guitar and bubbly organ, tied together by the whiskey-filled warmth that is front man Martin Soloman's [sic] voice. See You Hurry is another top pick off the album, subtly hinting at WIM's inherent folkiness with dashes of mandolin and elegant vocal harmonies. Once again, their heavy low end darkens the mood of the piece making the brief multi-vocal breaks all the more poignant.

In the Morning is a rolling piano-driven piece, stripped back and left raw and haunting. It could almost be an indie-pop anthem or a power ballad, but its delivery loses the cliche, making it instead charming and seemingly heartfelt, as well as surprisingly touching for such a young band. There's something wholesome about this album. WIM has put together a musical effort that feels universal - an album for the downtrodden and the uplifted, for losers and winners. At times it's completely heartbreaking, at others like the embrace of an old friend. WIM is producing material mature beyond their age that seems uncorrupted and pure, whilst still warm and dirty.

Alex Watts - Drum Media

You know when you put on a brand new album, and it begins with one of those awe-inspiring sweet openers? Notes are hit that make you shiver and attention is ruthlessly grabbed? This is what first track Colossus does on WIM’s self-titled debut, and from there it’s pretty much an epic battle to do anything else but listen to their haunting songs, flawless four-part harmonies and Martin Solomon’s deep voice (not as deeply baritone as Matt Berninger but there’s a similarity with the same newsreader’s power of captivation). Self-described as glam folk, WIM have that healthy dose of folk similar to Grizzly Bear, but an intrinsic part of the album’s charm is how it swings between modern flourishes to more classic, old sounds. Piano and organ are a staple for many songs, such as seen on Over The Mountains’ slow driven piano melody reminiscent of Sparkadia, but WIM also explore more antiquated sounds, such as the accordion lines in John. The ‘glam’ part peeks through in the lazy choral buzz of Monster And Me, a song that also shows off some impressive songwriting abilities. One of WIM’s strengths is their composing, not only blending instruments to create a seamless and robust sound, but their lyricism also gives a timeless and thoughtful quality to the music, and that ever elusive bittersweet pain which is often so hard to convey meaningfully. From start to finish it’s a beautiful album that demands, and deserves, a listener’s full attention.
****½ - RAVE Magazine

What's so good?
A lot has happened in the short time since I reviewed WIM’s EP (which was released in 2009). The boys have been exceedingly busy over the past few months, touring continuously while putting the finishing touches on their freshly released self-titled album.

WIM’s upward trajectory looks mighty sturdy, given their aforementioned effort. After completing a join-the-dots national tour of Australia alongside the powerfully elegant Grace Woodroofe (a Ben Harper apprentice) and London-born storyteller Emma Davis, they supported the indomitable Gypsy and the Cat on their own tour. Sharing the spotlight with so much talent, it is indubitably WIM’s time to take center stage.

A combination of new material and re-recorded tracks from the EP, I think this album is a thing of magnificence. It was lovingly crafted in Los Angeles at the Berkely Street Studio, the private laboratory of legendary musical mixologist Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springstein, the Rolling Stones among others). It was then mastered by Bob Ludwig who has collaborated with an amazing assortment of musical superheroes including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, and Nirvana. They also worked with local producer Tony Buchen, who has collaborated with many prominent Australian acts. Based on their list of friends, you’d hope they’d know what they were doing. (They do).

The album can be split into two styles, swinging swiftly from grand and reflective, to upbeat and animated –- then back again just as swiftly. Think Grizzly Bear mingled with gypsy-pirates. We begin with two of the former tracks, “Colossus” and “See You Hurry” (see their amazing film clip below), which evocatively float into each other. The wind then changes with the second single, “Something for You,” which is more of a vaudevillian jaunt. This pattern continues effortlessly over the course of the 9-tracks. “Moth” is my favorite track today, yesterday it was “Over the Mountains,” tomorrow… who knows?

The production on the album is fantastic, with no effort spared to ensure this is to be a standout full-length debut. These five gentlemen are masters of their craft, and clearly enjoy performing their creations. Don’t take my word for it though — give WIM a listen for yourself. - Indie Shuffle

Seamless in its construction, poetic in its songwriting and moving in its aesthetic impression, glam-folk-dream-pop quintet WIM’s self-titled album is a heartbreaking and heart-warming album that ventures deep into the heart of emotive music.
Produced by Aussie legend Tony Buchen (Andy Bull, Ray Man 3, Kid Confucius) and mixed by industry aristocracy Bob Clearmountain (Springsteen, Roxy Music, INXS), WIM mingles folk rock, country, pop and rootsy rock to land not too far from Bright Eyes’ broad turf.
There’s a sense of playfulness present on the album, with toe-tapping tunes Something For You and See You Hurry providing enough catchiness to keep the indie radio stations happy, while WIM’s hippy leanings and a enchant for image-dense, nature-inspired poesy make them kindred spirits to Devendra Banhart, Bon Iver and Joanna Newsom.
However, it’s on the achingly simplest of songs where frontman Martin Solomon’s splenetic growl sends shivers down one’s spine. On In The Morning and Monster And Me, Solomon gives a soulful performance full of intuitive swells and fades, his phrasing and pronunciation making his voice as much a purely sonic instrument as his guitar.
Though only nine tracks long, WIM is as beautiful, bleak and intimate as anything 2011 is likely to throw up. - X Press Magazine

One of the best things about L.A. is the sheer aggregate amount of interesting music you can stumble into on any given night -- and not just on stages.

On Saturday night I'd ambled over to Bardot (its Saturday night Lo Hi Fi series is sneakily becoming a supremely fun live engagement every week) to catch the disco-revivalist quartet Love Grenades, whom I've somehow never seen before. Given how just about every popular varietal of dance-based music is getting constantly updated in the pop, R&B and indie worlds today, it was kind of refreshing to see a band play the earlier eras so straight. There was ESG, there was Moroder, there was Blondie, and the band's severe singer Liz Wight just dares you to look away from her.

But the even better surprise was a chance conversation with a virtuosically bedraggled quintet of Australians in town making their first full-length album. They're called Wim, "as in Wim Wenders," they said, which might make it the most pretentious three-letter band name in music history. But their sound is a fantastic revision of the meandering, sylvan folk of Grizzly Bear with the bleary tenor of Scott Walker and four-part harmonies tight enough to hang your laundry on. I feel like I need to go fall in love and then get unceremoniously dumped this weekend just so I can have the proper setting to listen to their spooky torch ballad "John" while plowing through a bottle of Macallan. And good lord, do they look the part too -- singer Martin Solomon probably doesn't get up for breakfast without first putting on a half-dozen fur and feather accouterments and eye glitter.

They're really young and have some filling out to do arrangement-wise, but if they stick around in L.A. they should make fast friends with Entrance, Hecuba and Devendra Banhart. I heartily propose they do so, if only for my own selfish motives of wanting to see them live many, many times in the near future.

-- August Brown - La times