Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting Review

I’ve been so busy these days I didn’t get a chance to post, but I did want to throw up a quick link to the recent Young Galaxy review that I did for Donnybrook.

Here’s a quick take on my thoughts:

Gone is the driving optimism from old classics like “Outside the City,” “Searchlight,” and “The Alchemy Between Us.” It seems their joyous sense of adventure has been lost and in its place a world-weary iciness has crept in, leaving everything empty, cold, and alienated. But as the album progresses, elements of their prior exuberance shine through and you see that rather than cynicism, their optimism has merely been tempered with unsympathetic doses of reality.

Written like a meditation on humanity, the album progresses with Young Galaxy slowly working through mankind’s foibles and weaknesses to eventually find the beauty within our civilization. To accompany this allegory, Young Galaxy has filled Shapeshifting with hollowed out voices, electronic beats, and sparse soundscapes drawing inspiration from the likes of New Order, The Knife, and The Eurythmics. Of note is the inclusion of traces of world music, like the Caribbean-style steel drums on “Cover Your Tracks;” however, at times it falls too deeply on the side of some absorbed new-age mystical oddity.

Check it out the rest here and listen to my personal favorite “We Have Everything” below.

Enjoy.

Young Galaxy - We Have Everything by Hypetrak

5 Songs to Help Hide Inside for the Winter

Here are five of my favorite songs that are the perfect soundtrack for winter hibernation.

Arcade Fire – Winter for a Year

From their demo, this gem has a great melancholy yet upbeat and whimsical feel to it. The meandering melody and light hearted drumming mix smoothly with Win Butler’s voice that is noticeably more adolescent and even contains a hint of Billy Corgan’s whine, at least to my ear.



Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel the Illinoise!

The opening bass lines from the piano make me think of a jollier version of Charlie Brown and nothing says Christmas like the oddly depressing Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Let’s also not forget the grand soundscapes and bright horns that really spread a holiday cheer.

Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! by AriGold

Ra Ra Riot – Winter 05

The quiet sleigh bells in the background; the gorgeous melancholy lyrics; the explicit recognition of the inherent dreariness of winter; and of course the idea of curling up next to a loved one during those cold winter nights. If that doesn’t capture the essence of winter, I don’t know what can.



Young Galaxy – Outside the City

Something about this song, just makes me think of going on a grand snow-filled adventure. The booming drum and bass lines add a driving momentum to the song and when mixed with the lovely vocals, make the most pleasant combination to my ears.



The Rifles – Winter Calls

Lonely lyrics over guitar work that screams British rock by my favorite Brits, The Rifles – what’s not to love about that?



Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 Tunnels

Perhaps the greatest, most brilliant song about winter ever. I’m not sure any song could be better than Arcade Fire’s Neighborhood #1 to bury yourself for the winter. From the recurring fairy tale like melodies to Win Butler’s plaintive angst ridden wail, nothing evokes a magical winter wonderland than this song. It also helps that it’s written about a magical world with no parents that’s covered in snow and connected by tunnels.