photo credit : Alex Vanderkooy
Young Circles – Sharp Teeth
I've always had a soft spot for "art punk" bands, as vague and misleading as that label may be. If nothing else, it means that the music is intelligent and interesting. In the case of Young Circles, it's both and more. A lot more.
Jeff Rose, David Barnard, and Jordy Asher are high school buddies from Florida who grew up playing music. Their varied backgrounds in blues, jazz, and space-rock coalesced in the form of Young Circles after years of playing in other bands. Bones, their debut EP is being released 1.11.11 (get it? me neither).
Young Circles crunchy sonic assaults may initially make you think Death From Above 1979, but there is far more variation here. There's an obvious focus on melody and emotion in the vocals and the electronic flourishes provide a great fuzzed out atmosphere. What really gets me though is the progression of the songs. They build and transform, quickly return back to the beginning, and then evolve again. Hell, some of the beats get downright funky. This is music that lets empty space talk before shoving it full of catchy, audible art. It goes a long way to restoring faith in modern indie rock.
Visit the Young Circles website or check them out on Facebook. Be on the lookout for the release of Bones in January and upcoming tour dates.