ALBUM REVIEW: YOUNG STATUES SELF TITLED LP

The New Jersey and Philadelphia band, Young Statues, were conceived in the winter of 2010 during a spontaneous trip to Athens, GA. The transformation of this record began at Chase Park Transduction Studios, where a group of friends recorded a series of songs, songs that, at first, were just for fun and never meant to be released. After hearing these recorded sessions, songwriter and vocalist Carmen Cirignano decided to persevere and finish working on them. It was at the Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, NJ with the help of; longtime producer and engineer Steve Poponi, bassist Tom Ryan and drummer Daniel Bogan, that these songs were transformed into this incredible debut record. The record came out November 8, via Run For Cover Records.

Have you ever thought that you like the idea of a certain relationship more than the actual relationship you’re in? If you have then the song Spacism is perfect for you, “The Feeling I had, The feeling I missed when it ran itself away, Now that it’s here, I don’t think I’ll be sticking around another day.”

The song Athens is all about the hard-hitting and well-performed drums. It’s also about being underappreciated, and knowing it.

Half Light almost has a Journey vibe to it, due to the slide. This song is about how after a breakup you don’t feel bitter or upset with that person about how things worked out, you just focus on the good memories you share. “You can treat me unkind tonight, but I won’t let that leave my side/I’ll think of you in the summertime/I’ll be alright, I’ll be happy tonight.”

The song Bumble Bee is a fast pace/back and forth number and has an almost poppy sound to it, it’s about the mind games that always seem to go on whenever two people like each other.

This slow/ very direct song Losing A Friend holds a meaning everyone can relate to at some point. Sometimes friends just grow apart and sooner or later, as much as you don’t want to, you have to just let go of them.  This is my favorite song, lyrically, of this record, “I hope you see it from happier eyes/ and the warmth it fills you up though your spine.” And “You go on making new friends, It won’t be hard for you, you know just what to do, When it comes to loving someone.”

The next song, Young Statues, holds the same name as the band itself, and it possibly holds the most positive lyrics of the entire record.” I wanna take it back to as far as they would let me, I wanna climb inside and feel al the sun at my feet” and “Did I start off on the wrong foot, to end up on the right track?” It’s about instead of focusing of the negatives of your life, you realize that you are in control of your future, and that if you want something you have to go out and make it happen.

We Trusted Everything Enough is amazing stripped back song. What make it more breathtaking is that half way through beautiful piano instrumentals fill up the song and take it to the next level. The song itself holds a much darker meaning; last year around Christmas time one of Carmen’s closest friends committed suicide. The song talks about how when people grow and go through these drastic changes, some can’t handle it and make this utterly foolish decision to end their own lives.

It’s so much easier to just go with the flow than get rid of a certain person, habit or feeling that you can never stray away from, Keep It Dark focuses on those feelings.

Pretty Girls Make Raves is a very airy song about being convinced to go to a dance party, and that being the very last place you’d want to be at. “Time had been honest, but I don’t wanna do it your way, If I had my own voice, I’ll be running, you won’t have a choice.”

One of the faster, more in-your-face songs is Your Seasons Stay The Same contradictory to the fast tempo, it’s about unhappy people blame other people for there unhappiness. “But I won’t live scared until the day that I’m dead, You’ll be just as sad as you are, in a sunnier state.”

Meet Me At The Hudson is one of the slower songs on the record talking about time spending in the city’, “I’m not much of a talker, and I’ve never been/ They say a city kid doesn’t survive without wit.”

Even with a sound all their own, it is hard not to compare them to the great Death Cab For Cutie, and Manchester Orchestra. If you’re looking for lo-fi pop music, with a dark edge, the go pick up their debut album available now thought Run For Cover Records.

Catch Young Statues on their upcoming UK tour, and east coast appearances at The Early November Reunion show.

11/16/2011 | Liverpool, UK @ Shipping Forecast
11/17/2011 | London, UK @ Bull & Gate
11/18/2011 | London, UK @ Wheelbarrow
11/19/2011 | Cambridge, UK @ House Show No. 5 (Cambridge University)
11/20/2011 | Glasgow, UK @ Art School
11/22/2011 | Southampton, UK @ Talking Heads w/Saves The Day
11/23/2011 | Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2 w/Saves The Day
11/24/2011 | Kingston, UK @ Hippodrome w/Saves The Day
11/26/2011 | Sayreville, J @ Starland Ballroom | The Early November Reunion Show
12/10/2011 | Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy Philly
12/29/2011 | Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre | with The Early November, Man Overboard

Best Tracks: We Trusted Everything Enough, Your Seasons Stay The Same, Losing A Friend, Pretty Girls Make Raves

Review: 8/10