As a member of
Eternal Summers,
Nicole Yun was part of a trio crafting dreamy shoegaze and indie rock-flavored music. On her own, her tastes run more towards the mainstream of '90s alternative, as evidenced by the sounds captured on her debut solo album, 2019's
Paper Suit.
After a decade of touring, recording, and living as the driving force behind
Eternal Summers,
Yun felt like she needed a break. She spent her time working a series of odd jobs, setting up house shows, and pondering her next move in life. Seeing her friends embark on grown-up careers and lives, she contemplated setting aside music and following them. Instead, she felt a creative surge and began writing songs for a solo project. She sent demos to two producers --
Ava Luna's
Julian Fader in NYC and
Bleeding Rainbow's Robert Garcia -- with an eye towards recording an album.
Yun and
Fader assembled a team of luminaries to fill in her songs during the New York sessions.
Guided by Voices'
Doug Gillard and
Maxïmo Park's
Duncan Lloyd provided lead guitar, ex-
Cloud Nothings member Joe Boyer added a variety of keys, Jacob Sloan of
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart contributed bass, and
Fader played drums. In Philadelphia, Garcia handled most of the instruments. The sound they created was informed by
Yun's love of the alternative rock of the '90s, from baggy indie dance and Brit-pop to inward-looking singer/songwriters. Her own stated goal for the LP was to make an album that sounded like a "me-fronted
Lemonheads." The eight-song album, titled
Paper Suit, was issued in June 2019 by Kanine Records. ~ Tim Sendra