Francis Lung - cancelled

Looking to the '60s for inspirations such as the Left Banke and Phil Spector, Francis Lung is the solo alias of Manchester singer and songwriter Tom McClung, formerly of WU LYF. Debuting with sparer, more intimate material on a pair of EPs in 2016, he arrived at a lusher, affectionate Baroque pop on the 2019 full-length A Dream Is U and its 2021 follow-up Miracle.

McClung began working on solo material while still with WU LYF, which disbanded a year after issuing their critically acclaimed debut Go Tell Fire to the Mountain, in 2011. The band -- Ellery James Roberts (lead vocals), Evans Kati (guitar), Joe Manning (drums), and McClung (bass; aka "Lung") -- cracked the Top 100 with the album in their native U.K.

As Francis Lung, he released the home-recorded EPs Faeher's Son, Vol. 1 and Mother's Son, Vol. 2 in late 2016. Working with producer Brendan Williams, he expanded his sound for his full-length debut, A Dream Is U, which saw release on Memphis Industries in 2019. He and Williams collaborated again on McClung's 2021 follow-up, Miracle. Singing and playing every part except for the strings, Miracle doubled down on the artist's smart, punchy pop, which was imbued with a distinctively introspective air.