Anyone who’s anyone who’s been around the Birmingham underground rock scene the last five years will have had the name Youth Man on their lips at some point. Renowned for their crude, raucous performances they’re a band you’re not going to forget. After three EPs, a heavy live schedule, the departure of bassist Miles Cocker and a new signing to Alcopop records, Youth Man are back and it seems more streamlined and focused than ever. Five Songs is released on 29th June and we here at Moshville Times were lucky enough to get a sneak preview.
What I absolutely loved about opener “Mainland” was it almost took off immediately where the last track “Painted Blue” from the Wax EP left off. Kaila Whyte’s haunting clean vocals open this number, lulling you into a false sense of security, then wham! A pulsating bass and a battering of drums (Marcus Perks) knocks you off your seat, but the similarities end there. Spoken, rhythmic vocals contrast handsomely with jagged guitars, as the song builds ominously. Kaila’s vocals become more urgent and yet remain melodic, rather than settling for her signature punk screams, leaving the guitars and drums to batter out the end of the track.
“Valley Girl” is old school punk with a luscious layer of funk, which means you can either dance or pogo your heart out to this one. Infectious hooks and more guttural vocals, this will be a real crowd pleaser. The chorus is catchy as hell and it was the track I was still singing out loud long after the EP had played out.
Heaviest number “Constantly” sees Kaila’s punk drawls interspersed with guttural screams, becoming more and more frantic as does the drumming, which leaves you mentally exhausted as it comes to a sudden halt. Talking about the writing process Kaila explains:
We wrote a lot of stuff and discarded a lot of stuff – the five songs you’ll hear are the ones that made the cut. Most of the lyrics were written while we were invading Europe in a van on tour with Trash Talk, so a lot of it’s about cabin fever and fatigue and intoxication and stuff.
“I Don’t Know” is such a great track on so many levels. An infectious guitar riff manifests throughout, the bass line in rapid cadence trips alongside harmonious vocals that progress with intensity and urgency ending with guttural cries and a frantic thrashing of instruments that slowly dissolve leaving Kaila’s divine, vulnerable vocals.
Closer “Statuesque” is a visceral, noise-rock feast. Harsh rock which slowly evolves as the track progresses from a groove-laden, bass driven intro, comes to a crashing crescendo with those familiar punk screams.
This is a fantastic EP highlighting not only what Youth Man are already brilliant at, but also demonstrates their confidence in experimenting with their sound and I adore what they’ve produced here.
Five Songs is released 29th June
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