IN A NUTSHELL:

Recommended for:

People with ears
Fans of indie rock music
Those who like to dance and also rock out at the same time

Average Rating: 8.3/10

Pros:

• Superb vocal performances

• Dynamic instrumentation and production

• Diverse and original songwriting

Cons:

• Not too much at all

Home of the Strange is the third full length album from indie rock band, Young the Giant. The band consists of Sameer Gadhia, Jacob Tilley, Eric Cannata, Payam Doostzadeh, and François Comtois, and was formally known as The Jakes, before the release of their 2010 eponymous debut album through Roadrunner Records. They have since signed with Fueled by Ramen and also released Mind Over Matter in 2014. The band originated in Irvine, California.

MaGiCFiNgErS:

(Andrew Shults)

To begin I must admit Young the Giant has been one of my favorite bands since I discovered their music shortly after their first album released. This means a possible bias in my opinions, but it also means I had very high expectations for this new album, and I am confident that these two things will balance each other out.

The first thing I have to say about this album, and this band in general is what a fantastic progression it displays. Young the Giant has masterfully done what so many bands struggle to do in their careers. They have managed to continuously make new and exciting music, whilst still staying true to a consistent style. This meaning that every album gives us a taste of experimentation and originality in the songwriting as well as in the instrumentation, while still giving the listener hints of older styles and techniques that made so many people fall in love with their music.

In my opinion, through all of the music this band has released, they haven’t made a bad song, and this stays true in Home of the Strange. This statement is largely attributed to the fact that Sameer Gadhia’s vocals are absolutely breathtaking and amazing. It almost doesn’t matter what the song sounds like, because if he is singing, it’s going to sound good. I really think he is underrecognized in the music industry as one of the best vocalist around.

Another impressive accomplishment Young the Giant has pulled off time and time again in their music, is their stylistic diversity. In this album, this band has songs that can rock your socks off, like “Jungle Youth” or “Something to Believe In”, songs that make you dance, like “Silvertongue” and “Mr. Know-It-All”, and beautiful acoustic and artsy songs like “Art Exhibit” and “Repeat” . They have great range in their songwriting abilities and this shows heavily in this album as well as their past material.

I can’t really say enough about how much I enjoyed this album. The lyrics are also a highlight. They have the perfect balance of collectiveness and range in themes and ideas. They are relatable but still poetic, and catchy as hell. The production is unique and well mastered. Every song has awesome switches, changes, and layers that makes each one of them a refreshing and exciting listen.

I recommend listening to every song on this album a whole bunch of times.

Favorite Songs: “Nothing’s Over”, “Titus Was Born”, “Silvertongue”, (honestly every song)

9.5/10

JAKEY_BAKEY:

(Jake Marino)

Young the Giant return with full funky force on their third album Home of the Strange. This album’s got tight and disco-ish grooves, catchy hooks, and dynamic vocals from Sameer Gadhia, which makes for a fun, engaging, and interesting listen.

The display of musicianship was one of the things that caught me by surprise on this album. Most alternative radio bands that are on the radio like Imagine Dragons or Walk the Moon are not necessarily synonymous with musically stimulating music. This album is an exception, however. The instrumentation is tasteful, not watered down and simple like most radio bands. Songs like “Mr. Know-It-All” or “Something to Believe In” show that it is possible to be catchy and still have cool musical ideas at the same time. Gadhia’s vocals especially shine through on Strange. The vocal performances are exciting and electric, and they demand attention. Sameer challenges his range on this album and it pays off big time.

The production is smart and tasteful, as well. There is impressive attention to detail on this project while still sounding radio-ready with songs like “Something to Believe In” and “Slivertongue.”

The quality of this album definitely surprised me. Young the Giant have grown and matured as a band on this new album, but show that they can still crank out the singles that will get you dancing’.

Favorite Songz: “Something to Believe In,” “Mr. Know-It-All”

8.1/10

MOM:

(Luke Culhane)

Young the Giant seems to be changing and I like it. Nonetheless, I am not really head over heels for the band.

Their first self titled album had potential but some bland production numbed its quality. Since then, they have drifted to a more distorted synthy sound. This adds a darker dimension to the band. However, I would generally describe the group as being upbeat. This is particularly why a darker fuzzier sound works for them. Distortion brings out a certain richness through contrasting the band’s upbeat style with the darker production. I do have a small problem with this shift they are taking in terms of the band’s direction. Why? Because lately every musical artist is aiming to achieve a pop synth backing sound similar to The Weeknd. I am happy that this shoe-gazed, dark, slightly distorted sound has infiltrated the pop scene. This being said, it is everywhere. This production style went from being certain groups’ stylistic trademark to a necessity for every musician on the pop scene.

But, back to the album. Home of the Strange has both superior musicality and songwriting in comparison to their previous works. I did open up this review claiming that I was not crazy about this group, though they are a solid, fun band. As with many pop-rock artists, this album’s pitfall is the art of the album itself. Though there are some groovin’ songs and “catchy” melodies here and there, the album is a pile of bricks. Give me a medley, a strong theme woven throughout, a jam track, or some sort of gimmick. Break it up! The album certainly runs a bit dry. I appreciate when artists craft albums to be fun, easy, and interesting to listen to. Though there are many positive elements of this album, it needs some structural pizazz. It is still a worthwhile listen.

Favorite Song: Nothing’s Over

7.4 / 10

Go check out Young the Giant's website to buy their music, merchandise and find out tour info. I have seen them twice in concert and highly recommend you find a way to see them too. They are a fantastic live performance band.

http://www.youngthegiant.com