Losing your job sucks—in fact, the only real consolation for your newly found status of unemployment is probably three days spent holed up with Shamir Bailey to polish up some old demos which would become your first release via Shamir’s own Accidental Popstar Records. Fortunately this was the case for Poolblood—the moniker of Toronto-based songwriter Maryam—whose sophomore EP Yummy drops this Friday.
According to Maryam, the three ’90s-alt-inspired tracks and one ’90s-alt cover sound like “crying, dancing, teen movies, and nostalgia,” though you can hear for yourself today, with an early stream of the full EP being shared below. From the cleaned-up dream pop of opener “I’m Sorry” to the beat-heavy Sundays cover, the fifteen-minute record is bursting with oversized-flannel energy.
You can pre-order a copy of the EP before it hits stores this Friday here—and read on for Maryam’s behind-the-scenes look at each track.
1. “I’m Sorry”
It’s interesting to see how much this song has grown. It was a baby on my first EP, I Wish I Was in a Punk Rock Band, and to have Shamir come in and add an organ effect to it was really interesting. This song has a special place in my heart because I went through a really hard time with someone who I love and I didn’t know how to express any of my hurt for them and myself, so I wrote this song—very cliche!
2. “Dreamer”
I had the demo of this song that I brought to the studio and Shamir just knew how to put it together. I’ve always loved ’90s/’00s teen cult movies, and I’ve always wanted to write a song that sounded like it belonged on the soundtrack of Clueless or She’s All That, or even a ’90s sitcom about teenagers in school. It’s my favorite song on the album.
3. “Here’s Where the Story Ends”
I love The Sundays! It was an honour to cover this song and to make a fun, upbeat, ’90s-esque version of it. I look up to Harriet Wheeler, and Reading, Writing and Arithmetic is one of my all time favorite albums.
4. “Memoir”
This one started off as a more mundane sad song, but Shamir brought it to life by adding some early 2010s pop piano work, which I fell in love with instantly. The lyrics keep true to the theme of child-like ambivalence.
