AUSSIE FEATURE: Young Lions
What do you get when you mix the stadium filler anthemic pop songs of 30 Seconds to Mars with the beautiful tonality of Explosions in the Sky? If you're answer wasn't Young Lions then we'd love for you to link us the answer because this combination is one to be marvelled at.
What do you get when you mix the stadium filler anthemic pop songs of 30 Seconds to Mars with the beautiful tonality of Explosions in the Sky? If your answer wasn't Young Lions then we'd love for you to link us the answer because the locals fit the criteria better than most.
The Brisbane upstarts, fronted by Dream, On Dreamer member (and, clean vocalist) Zachary Britt, are making firm footprints in a competitive music market. With their debut album 'Burn' being a conduit for their popularity in the local scene, sophomore offering, 'Blue Isla' is perhaps an early hallmark in their career. The new record is a step up from the band's debut in many ways. Having toured steadily and grown as both individuals and musicians, Young Lions have constructed a record that from start to finish cashes in on the group's best features. Sweeping choruses, strong emotional tendencies and sensational tonality in every note.
Lead single, 'When Will We be Free?' shows this growth and continuity in the Young Lions' sound and writing perfectly, which is exactly why the band chose it says drummer Matt Gibson.
"I feel like [When Will We Be Free?] just kind of captured the sound of the new record a lot better. It just seemed like the strongest track to go in with and show off to everyone. It is one of our favourites we've written and felt like the best song to kind of show the direction we were taking on 'Blue Isla'," the drummer says.
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So, just what does this January released, new album sound like to the band? Well, when we spoke with the group the band attempted to capture its essence.
"I think this one’s different than 'Burn'," bassist Morgan Castle comments.
"I feel like 'Burn' was a far more aggressive album both lyrically and sonically. This one feels far less aggressive and more..." Castle pauses for a moment before guitarist Kyle Morris weighs in.
"I think on 'Burn' it was a bit more kind of personal aggression you know? A lot of what was happening to us, whereas on Blue Isla I reckon it’s more about the world and a bit more external, you know?”
As we noted in our review, the switch from the fiery aggressive title of “burn” to the calming water connation of “blue isla’ only confirms this. The record still exudes with emotion and feeling from beginning to end but just as the boys say, it’s more of an outward look, possibly brought on by the way in which they recorded the full-length.
“We spent about a month camping in a van on the coast where we recorded the record,” says Gibson.
“It was in the dead of winter so it was fucking cold every night but I think it really tested us as a unit. What we came out with as the final product we were so stoked about,” he adds.
Young Lions now turn their attention to performing with a tour in support of ‘Blue Isla’ kicking off over the weekend (Valentine’s Day) in Brisbane.
...and, when ask if they were excited about the tour, they all agree in typical Aussie unison with a mix of slurs and swears.
Catch Young Lions on tour this February/March.
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