These Young Fools is an American Indie Pop Rock band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, that formed in 2012. The band which currently relocated to Seattle – WA, is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Ethan Risvik, guitarist and backing vocalist Michael Geissler, bassist Hunt Gibson, and drummer Evan Bauer. Their first full length album entitled “Cardiac” was released Aug 14, 2013.
This band knows how to make a pop record. Not since Beck hit the scene, has a band managed to so expertly tow the line between experimental and pop, uniting both the indie and mainstream listener. These Young Fools has its quirks but uses them to its advantage, unlike lesser indie bands that become obnoxious due to an eccentricity overload. Pop songwriting seems to be a breeze for these guys.
The 8 songs on “Cardiac” are tight, the sound is loud without being redundant, and it flows from start to finish as though there are really no individual songs, just one album, which I loved about it. As far as the songwriting goes, both lyrically and arrangement-wise, they sound like they’ve been around for years.
Just in case you are not familiar with this band or like me, are often stuck in the 70s and 80s, I encourage you to give these guys a try. If crisp, inspired tunes mean anything to you, then you’ll be glad to open your ears to them. Overall, there are numerous reasons to embrace the music of These Young Fools, but, perhaps the simplest, and most powerful, is that their work makes you happy. What better result could you ask for than riffs and chords breathing pulsating life into you?
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The album starts with a great song “Hide My Crazy” which has got a great rhythm and a nice clear vocal from Ethan: a brilliant song musically. Then comes “Anchor” with that raw poppy sound. “Something Soft” and “Pretty Girls” do sound like outright rock n’ roll songs, but with a These Young Fools thing to it, you’ll love the guitars on these. The trend just carries on with a variety of great songs following each other; my absolute favorites being “Magical” and “Safe and Sound”.
Not only is this an exceptionally strong debut record, additionally These Young Fools also make major strides in creativity and sheer craftsmanship, track after track. Simultaneously energetic and world-weary, the album adopts a creative perspective without dismissing the catchy, upbeat fundamentals that make for easy listening. At no point does the album feel overdone or longer than necessary; in fact, after my first listen I still found myself wanting more.
On “Cardiac”, These Young Fools have successfully matched the vocals with the great guitar riffs and memorable melodies, and it makes for a brilliant combination. For me all expectations were fully met and exceeded on listening to this. Buy a copy for yourself and push play, and after a few times through you will find yourself singing along…enjoy!
OFFICIAL LINKS & WEBSITES:
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One Comment
Michelle
Great review of this fresh, solid band. Not only are these guys worth a listen, but their live performance is even better. The guitars are epic, and the musicianship and creativity is impossible to ignore. Their songs manage to stay with you. I can’t wait til These Young Fools come to my town!