The Young Hearts are a Kent based alternative rock quartet comprising Craig Lawrence (vocals, guitar), Aaron Jackson (guitar), Stew Thorpe (bass) and Andrew Pepin (drums). Their long awaited debut album “The Modern State” is released this month.
The album kicks off with `Wild & Reckless` with shimmering guitar and pounding drums, it`s a very anthemic piece and no better an introduction to this band. I really loved the chugging guitar midway through, a blistering number to open on. Another rousing track follows with `Easy Life` which seems to relate to finally understanding and accepting help from somebody close during difficult personal times.
We have some thumping drum beats throughout `London` which the band have said confronts that feeling of being overwhelmed by your surroundings, and a lot of the time that can just be life in general. There`s a driving texture about it and it does seem to portray an overwhelming feeling both lyrically and musically. We have more stirring sentiment with `Cold Nights` a song that sways along.
Title track ‘The Modern State’ is all about growing older and focusses on societal pressures and expectations. A quite reflective track which begins with drums, occasional guitar twangs and vocals but fills out and starts to speed up as the number progresses before closing out with some fine guitar riffs. There`s a real effervescence about `Still Wander` with crashing guitar chords and drums almost beaten into submission, the bass a beacon on the horizon and vocals belted out with great haste.
`Fool`s Gold` is another quite contemplative aria looking back on youthful dreams and ambitions but tinged with an eye on what`s to come after we depart this world. The thumping drums, guitar shredding and harmonic melodies and vocal reminded me of the early enticing tracks the band Feeder specialised in. We have a further song of reminiscence with `Old Familiar` that seems to have been triggered by the return of old friends. As you grow older your mates move away but when you do get together it’s like nothing ever changed. A somewhat heartfelt rock anthem to fellowship.
`Swim` feels as if it has a heartbeat running through it as the pulsating drums lead us through this emotive and meditative offering with glimmering guitar loops, it has a really dreamy warmth about it. I felt there was a little edge or tension to `Anchors` where I thought it was about to take off in a particular direction but didn`t. But it does have a certain discerning charm.
The album closes with `Don`t Tell A Soul` which is another unrestrained anthemic melodic composition.
In “The Modern State”, The Young Hearts have released an album that i`m sure will become widely acclaimed. The album offers contemplative, passionate, emotional, energetic, and rousing melodic guitar and drum driven alternative rock. It`s the sort of release that demands to be heard in a live setting which sadly will not be happing any time soon.
Until then, “The Modern State” album is sufficient reward.
Rating 8.5 /10
