wake up
tigers can’t be choosers

wake up is the recording project of multidisciplinary artist evan mui. the band was initially conceived in 2013 with austen bemis, bobby yapkowitz, and carlo gonzales in lake worth, fl. this lineup recorded the full-length, tigers can’t be choosers, as well as the forever home EP, which was released as a 7” by DECADES records in 2014. 

as the band embarked on an east coast tour to support friends Surfer Blood and to promote the new EP, plans were under way to release tigers can’t be choosers. however, relocations, relationships, and different line-ups shifted the band’s focus toward arranging and experimenting with new material in the live setting, and the album was indefinitely shelved. 

upon relocating to los angeles in 2018, another incarnation of the band formed, featuring revolving members jackson wargo (Snowball II), steven urgo (The War On Drugs, Jess Cornelius, Dollar Band), jason medina (DA Stern, Strange Pursuit) and julian cires (Deep Sea Research Center, Lavola). 

work on arranging and recording new material began almost immediately; with another full-length album finished and slated for release later this year, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the inability to play live, the band decided upon releasing tigers can’t be choosers as a testament to the past, in a time where nostalgia for better days is a necessity to keep us all going.  

tigers can’t be choosers was released on valentine’s day of 2021 on digital and cassette, followed by a vinyl release from paul is dead records, pressed by third man in detroit.