Young the Giant (album)
Encyclopedia
Young the Giant is the eponymous debut album by American indie rock band Young the Giant
. It was released digitally by the Roadrunner
record label on October 26, 2010, and was followed by a physical CD
and vinyl
release in the United States on January 25, 2011. The album was released in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2011.
The band began work on the album with producer Joe Chicarelli
engineers Lars Fox, Ian Kirkpatrick
and Mixer Michael H. Brauer in early 2010. Young the Giant lead singer Sameer Gadhia described the album as having a "summery, kind of an Orange County
sound." Songs on the album include the U.S. single "My Body
", which reached the top five of Billboard
's Alternative Songs chart; "Apartment", the first international single; and "Cough Syrup
", which was originally recorded for the 2008 EP
Shake My Hand when the band was known as The Jakes.
Lead singer Sameer Gadhia said the new band name did not have any specific meaning, but that it epitomized the band they had become. "I was thinking about what we want to portray," Gadhia said. "We are still youthful, but when we aren't, we still want to have that exuberance in our music."
In early 2010, Young the Giant began work on its debut album with Grammy
-winning producer Joe Chicarelli
. The album features live track recording, which the band had never previously attempted. Drummer Francois Comtois noted that working with Chicarelli for the sessions "was incredibly intimidating, but he kicked our asses into shape." Gadhia also recalled the experience: "We were criticized in ways we had never even thought of, and were constantly pushed to reach the next level. Looking back on it, [...] he shaped us into better musicians, performers, and songwriters. It was also great fun hearing his stories about Bono
, Jay-Z
and Elton John
.
was just like eternal summer for us. We did draw from a lot of that."
In particular, the track "Strings" is an attempt to showcase the sounds of the beach. Gadhia described that the band wanted to "have the arrangements cascade together and, tonally, we all worked hard with Joe to recreate the fervor and wetness of splashing waves."
Gadhia said the track "My Body
" is an embodiment of the band: "a combination of youthful energy and slightly naive but optimistic determination. It captures a sense of passion, urgency and excitement that we've felt throughout the writing and recording process over the past two years."
Another song, "Cough Syrup
", was co-written by former bandmate Ehson Hashemian and dates back to the 2008 EP "Shake My Hand", when the band was still known as The Jakes.
Young the Giant was released on CD and vinyl in the United States on January 25, 2011. It debuted and peaked at number six on the Billboard
Top Heatseekers
albums chart.
First U.S. single "My Body" peaked at number eight on the Alternative Songs chart.
The album was released May 2 in the UK, with "Apartment" as the lead international single. The album peaked at number 83 on the UK Albums Chart
.
described the album as having "12 songs rich in texture and progression, vocal hooks and catchy guitar riffs," and said the band "suffuse their sound with a thick, juicy ecstasy." Caitlin Meyer commends the album for "boasting consistent catchiness while also incorporating a delectable combination of continuity, depth, and progression." Meyer added it is "the kind of record that grabs you at first listen and becomes more meaningful every time through." David Menconi of Spin
compliments the manner in which "Sameer Gadhia sings in a declara-tive key of unwavering determination, undergirded by Jacob Tilley's sophisticated guitar sprawl and Francois Comtois' martial drums as the band's debut album goes marching on and on and on." Amazon.com
ranked Young the Giant as the third best rock album of 2010.
Chris Conaton of PopMatters
called the album unoriginal, and that the band knows "how to replicate the strong moments in rock history. But they have yet to really figure out their own stylistic stamp." Pitchfork Media
's Ian Cohen called the album "devoid of personality," explaining that "politely distorted guitars twist and churn but never turn into riffs. Choruses become placeholders instead of hooks." Cohen also criticized the lyrics for being "neither plainspoken enough to reveal simple truths nor evocative enough to scan as poetry."
British artist Morrissey
, known for outspoken skepticism towards modern music, praised the album on the fansite
True to You.
Additional
Young the Giant
Young the Giant is an American alternative rock band that formed in Irvine, California, in 2004. The band's line-up is Sameer Gadhia , Jacob Tilley , Eric Cannata , Payam Doostzadeh , and François Comtois...
. It was released digitally by the Roadrunner
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
record label on October 26, 2010, and was followed by a physical CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
release in the United States on January 25, 2011. The album was released in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2011.
The band began work on the album with producer Joe Chicarelli
Joe Chicarelli
Joe Chiccarelli is an American music producer, mixer and engineer who has been active since early '80's. He has produced albums by Stan Ridgway, Oingo Boingo, Sandra Bernhard, My Morning Jacket, Counting Crows, The Shins, Augie March, Manchester Orchestra, Minus the Bear, Kurt Elling, Big Talk...
engineers Lars Fox, Ian Kirkpatrick
Ian Kirkpatrick
Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick is a former New Zealand rugby union player, who was captain of the All Blacks.Kirkpatrick began his first-class career in 1966 at the age of 20 playing for Poverty Bay. One year later in he moved to Canterbury and established himself in the local provincial team...
and Mixer Michael H. Brauer in early 2010. Young the Giant lead singer Sameer Gadhia described the album as having a "summery, kind of an Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
sound." Songs on the album include the U.S. single "My Body
My Body (Young the Giant song)
"My Body" is a 2010 song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. Written by the band and released as a single in 2011, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and number 65 on the singles charts in both the US and Canada...
", which reached the top five of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Alternative Songs chart; "Apartment", the first international single; and "Cough Syrup
Cough Syrup (song)
"Cough Syrup" is a song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. It was composed when the band was named The Jakes, and first appeared on their 2008 EP Shake My Hand...
", which was originally recorded for the 2008 EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Shake My Hand when the band was known as The Jakes.
Background
Following the departure of keyboardist Ehson Hashemian in late 2009, rock group The Jakes changed its name to Young the Giant.Lead singer Sameer Gadhia said the new band name did not have any specific meaning, but that it epitomized the band they had become. "I was thinking about what we want to portray," Gadhia said. "We are still youthful, but when we aren't, we still want to have that exuberance in our music."
In early 2010, Young the Giant began work on its debut album with Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning producer Joe Chicarelli
Joe Chicarelli
Joe Chiccarelli is an American music producer, mixer and engineer who has been active since early '80's. He has produced albums by Stan Ridgway, Oingo Boingo, Sandra Bernhard, My Morning Jacket, Counting Crows, The Shins, Augie March, Manchester Orchestra, Minus the Bear, Kurt Elling, Big Talk...
. The album features live track recording, which the band had never previously attempted. Drummer Francois Comtois noted that working with Chicarelli for the sessions "was incredibly intimidating, but he kicked our asses into shape." Gadhia also recalled the experience: "We were criticized in ways we had never even thought of, and were constantly pushed to reach the next level. Looking back on it, [...] he shaped us into better musicians, performers, and songwriters. It was also great fun hearing his stories about Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
.
Composition
An underlying theme of the album, according to Gadhia, is the "feeling of isolation and almost surreal happiness with a lover." Much of the album was inspired by the beach, Gadhia said. "It is summery, kind of an Orange County sound. When we first started doing this seriously and living together, NewportNewport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
was just like eternal summer for us. We did draw from a lot of that."
In particular, the track "Strings" is an attempt to showcase the sounds of the beach. Gadhia described that the band wanted to "have the arrangements cascade together and, tonally, we all worked hard with Joe to recreate the fervor and wetness of splashing waves."
Gadhia said the track "My Body
My Body (Young the Giant song)
"My Body" is a 2010 song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. Written by the band and released as a single in 2011, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and number 65 on the singles charts in both the US and Canada...
" is an embodiment of the band: "a combination of youthful energy and slightly naive but optimistic determination. It captures a sense of passion, urgency and excitement that we've felt throughout the writing and recording process over the past two years."
Another song, "Cough Syrup
Cough Syrup (song)
"Cough Syrup" is a song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. It was composed when the band was named The Jakes, and first appeared on their 2008 EP Shake My Hand...
", was co-written by former bandmate Ehson Hashemian and dates back to the 2008 EP "Shake My Hand", when the band was still known as The Jakes.
Release
Three tracks - "My Body", "I Got" and "Strings" - were leaked individually prior to the album's October 26, 2010 digital release.Young the Giant was released on CD and vinyl in the United States on January 25, 2011. It debuted and peaked at number six on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
albums chart.
First U.S. single "My Body" peaked at number eight on the Alternative Songs chart.
The album was released May 2 in the UK, with "Apartment" as the lead international single. The album peaked at number 83 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
Reception
Young the Giant has received mixed reviews from critics. Jody McCutcheon of ChartAttackChart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
described the album as having "12 songs rich in texture and progression, vocal hooks and catchy guitar riffs," and said the band "suffuse their sound with a thick, juicy ecstasy." Caitlin Meyer commends the album for "boasting consistent catchiness while also incorporating a delectable combination of continuity, depth, and progression." Meyer added it is "the kind of record that grabs you at first listen and becomes more meaningful every time through." David Menconi of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
compliments the manner in which "Sameer Gadhia sings in a declara-tive key of unwavering determination, undergirded by Jacob Tilley's sophisticated guitar sprawl and Francois Comtois' martial drums as the band's debut album goes marching on and on and on." Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
ranked Young the Giant as the third best rock album of 2010.
Chris Conaton of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
called the album unoriginal, and that the band knows "how to replicate the strong moments in rock history. But they have yet to really figure out their own stylistic stamp." Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's Ian Cohen called the album "devoid of personality," explaining that "politely distorted guitars twist and churn but never turn into riffs. Choruses become placeholders instead of hooks." Cohen also criticized the lyrics for being "neither plainspoken enough to reveal simple truths nor evocative enough to scan as poetry."
British artist Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, known for outspoken skepticism towards modern music, praised the album on the fansite
Fansite
A fansite, fan site, or fanpage is a website created and maintained by a fan or devotee interested in a celebrity, thing, or a particular cultural phenomenon...
True to You.
Track listing
Personnel
Young the Giant- Sameer Gadhia – percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, leadLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jacob Tilley – guitar
- Eric Cannata – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Payam Doostzadeh – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- François Comtois – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals
Additional
- Sean Fischer – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Ehson Hashemian – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocals - Bo Koster – keyboards
- Roger Manning – keyboards
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
42 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
2 |
| UK Albums Chart | 83 |
External links
- Young the Giant at RoadrunnerRoadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...