On The Shoulders Of Giants
To become a monolith, one must think monolithic. Very rarely will a band ascend from meek sonic origins and sit atop the mountain (see: Spoon). Young The Giant are of a mind to reach the apex.
The trick’s hardly so easy. Like any of the modern monsters of rock (U2, Coldplay, even Foo Fighters), there must be a semblance of nuance — something not foreign, yet certainly not typical of YTG’s Roadrunner Records home. The Southern Californians’ self-titled debut packs swagger, grit, and vulnerability in its 12 tracks, and it’s so balanced one imagines the mixing and sequencing sessions were absolutely torturous. Clearly, the band have Coldplay in their sites, yet even when the ideas seem completely someone else’s (“Garand,” “Garand,” “Garand”) you still have a sense of the band’s identity. Subtle nicks of cello (“Cough Syrup”) and an opening track destined to open concerts for years to come (“Apartment”) and this could have the makings of something very, very big. (Friday@Schubas with Pomegranates and Moxie Motive.)
— Steve Forstneger
Category: Featured, Stage Buzz, Weekly
