From something painful and uncertain to something beautiful.

That is how I would describe “So, Bird …” the wonderful sophomore album from Yea-Ming and The Rumours that was just released this month on vinyl by Dandy Boy Records in the United States and on streaming Lilystars Records in the Philippines.

Their indie pop music is like a balm on a wound in need of healing. It sprays California chill vibes and 60s sunshine pop on an otherwise dreary world weary from COVID-19 and on the edge from the war in the Ukraine.

And the album title is somewhat of a pun; your answer to pandemic woes.

“Everything had closed down and life got quiet all of a sudden,” shared Yea-Ming Chen, the band’s vocalist, chief songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.

“One time, I was walking around the neighborhood and I could hear the birds humming, something I never noticed before. And so I looked at the birds and tress in a different light and thought that I should write about it. ‘So, Bird …’ is like a way of saying, ‘sobered.’ And this pandemic sobered me up.”

Make no mistake. The songs on “So, Bird …” are of yearning, deep introspection, and finding oneself. The music, on the other hand, has a wonderful Beach Boys influence, a heartwarming feeling to see that today’s artists tip off their collective hats to the genius of Brian Wilson and company.

From the good old days to the “Back to the Days of I Don’t Knows,” Yea-Ming and The Rumours turn on the reverb to give the song a push much like fellow California mates Best Coast and La Luz.

At the center of the brilliance of “So, Bird …” is the talented Chen.

“So, Bird …” is her voice and her stories.

“With the album, I tried to tell a human story that is relatable,” said Chen. “Everything I hope to do with my music is for people to feel relief and know that they are not alone. It is my way of connecting.”

For example, “Back to the Days of I Don’t Knows” is a story of a break-up and going back to being single and not knowing what comes next. It was Chen’s way of saying, “there is a tomorrow and it is a brighter one.”

And there is.

Worried if anyone will like the band’s music, she found herself on a cloud up in the stratosphere when informed the first pressing of “So, Bird …” had sold out. Now, the second pressing is one the way.

“It is gratifying to know that people like our music,” she gushed.

“As for me specifically … I didn’t feel this when I was younger but now I am older, I want women, and Asian women in general, to feel they can be a leader in a creative endeavor and they can do it very well. And I would love for them to say, ‘If she can do it then I can do it.’”

Like Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast who has put out three albums that resonate well with a younger audience and has written a book about her experiences, Yea-Ming and The Rumours – Chen, Eoin Galvin on guitar, Sonia Hayden on drums, and Anna Hillburg on bass and vocals – are on the same path. Albeit with birds and trees and the sunshine pop of a beautiful album that should make the year end lists.

Music fans can go to Yea-Ming and The Rumours’ bandcamp to order a copy of the second pressing of “So, Bird …” or they can listen to the music on all digital platforms.