★★☆
The third studio release from southern California rockers Young The Giant takes the band’s sound in an unexpected new direction.
In some ways, it’s as though they’ve lost the playfulness, optimism and naivety that was so striking in their first release, Young The Giant, and gained a more cynical, serious edge.
‘Amerika’ opens the album and will grab your attention with its strange mix of contemporary hip hop and rock influences. This theme continues with ‘Something To Believe In’, one of the biggest tracks on the album.
But this soon drops off as many of the tracks like ‘Elsewhere’ and ‘Silvertongue’ blend into one with a very similar, generic, rock feel. There is nothing to define any of these songs, and lead singer Sameer Gadhia’s usually distinctive vocals feel subdued – there’s no space for him to really show off his vocal chops.
The album is strongest in tracks like ‘Titus Was Born’ and ‘Art Exhibit’, where the band offers us some powerfully employed storytelling techniques like soundscapes and descriptive lyrics to create vivid imagery.
However, overall this release is lacking the flair and creativity of past releases, feeling mature but restrained, and for fans of their work, this is a disappointment.
Home Of The Strangeby Young The Giant is available now via Fueled By Ramen.
