Kangaroos, sexy accents and bleached surfer boys are all things that come to mind when I think of Australia. Sadly, none of those three things are featured on Youth Group's second release, Skeleton Jar. Instead we're given moody lookin' boys, jangly indie rock, and mediocre vocals with a slight touch of emotive lyrics.
Simply put: Youth Group's style doesn't stray from the typical stuff that's being played on the radio today. With their jangly, indie rock roots, Youth Group will find a place in your heart if you're drawn to the likes of Death Cab For Cutie, The Shins and other bands who cater to the emotionally distraught, white belt wearing masses with hair strategically placed over their eyes.
Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie is a proud fan of Youth Group, saying, "Skeleton Jar is sweet and dear and genuine in a world stolen by cynics. Put simply, Youth Group gets it. If you don't love them your heart is dead." Death Cab For Cutie is such a fan that Youth Group was chosen by the band to support them for two weeks of the Death Cab tour.
Walla is definitely pushing it when he said, "If you don't love them your heart is dead". My heart is far from dead, I just like a little originality with my music, Chris.
There are some high notes worth mentioning, however.
The opening track, "Shadowland" is the perfect song to open the album with, seeing as it's the second best song on the album, with a chorus that repeats the song title over and over and leads to the phrase, "I want to float upon my memories, not sink into the gloaming sea."
With "Baby Body" the band is going in the right direction. Easily the best song on the album, the lyrics are serious, yet slightly silly, but the message is clear and comes through with the lyrics: "Liz hates her body, her baby body / She thinks that everybody's looking at the way her figure's changed" and "Gazes in awe and the stupid morons / who buy those magazines to paper tudor mirrors of their home".
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1 - Matt
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Matt Freelove