L.A. Pop quartet, Your Future Lovers finally have things in place. After myriad of the typical band shakeups, they have released their debut album in honor of three simple tenets of their daily life: Eat. Play. Leave. Though touted as “the three things this band does when we get together” but that quote belies the deeper metaphorical message underneath. Written with equally healthy doses of wit, satire and dark lyrical matter, the tracks play out as lyrically driven, guitar heavy, Pop melodies.
AMAZON —
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Play-Leave/dp/B009Y4FJR2
The anthemic “The Train” shows YFL playing to their strengths. Clever message laden lyrics shine as lead vocalist Tom Jackson channels a young Adam Duritz in his delivery. Vastly melodic, the track features the backing chug of electric and wah guitar with piano spiking the melody. The soaring harmonized vocals at the hook make the track memorable and radio ready. Dour strings and bent note electric kick off “This Song on the Radio.” Written in memory of Jackson’s niece who was lost in a car accident. The quirky ethos of the track features the protagonist bemoaning his desire to “not die with this song on the radio.” The musicality matches the underlying message of the track. While the message is certainly dark, the lyrics are spiked with comedy. This features YFL at their most clever. “Always” opens to electric progression with a foundation of keys before the full unit joins with rat-a-tat snare, piano and slide note work. The track builds through the verses to its crescendo at the midpoint with soaring vocals and full instrumentation before deconstructing to the same opening instrumentation. “Snowballs” keeps the quirk with comedy-laced lyrical matter and an offbeat melody. Again, guitar and vocals shine here in what sounds like a Guster tune. “Rotten on the Vine” opens with heavy fuzz guitar distortion/ Blues notes in what plays out as a soaring anthemic Power Pop rocker.
[youtube RxSfNLy4QZw]Your Future Lovers have a good one on their hands with Eat. Play. Leave. It seems the past trials have galvanized the guys to a solid unit with a healthy command of their sound and music. Jackson’s songwriting brings the wit, balancing the tracks with appropriate doses of comedy as foil to the darker messages underlying much in the vein of Ludo and Guster. The musicality is good and tight, all the while playing just behind the vocal delivery. Time served has certainly done the guys justice and this album should make them aware that it was well worth the wait.
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By: Chris West – cwestlaz@gmail.com
Rating: 3.5/5
