This is the new side project of members from Breather Resist. Having not heard Breather Resist, my review of Young Widows will not be tainted by my impressions on the earlier act. However, Young Widows start off their “Settle Down City” in much the same way that a snowball first gains speed. This is done by creating interesting instrumental arrangements during the title / opening track, insinuating a set of vocals a little latter, and then finally laying down a shambling beast of drums and guitars over the previous layers.
There are a number of different genres that Young Widows pull from. This is not just bringing a noisy rock style to the fore, but there are hints of anarchist punk, acid rock and other genres all present in each note that the band creates. More important bands in these genres, such as Sonic Youth and Husker Du, can be heard in the band’s output as well. The tracks may be distinguished on the actual back of the album, but the fact is that Young Widows strings together the songs to the point that the album could be taken as a full symphony, with each of the tracks representing different movements. The strung out guitars of a track like “Glad He Ate Her” is reminiscent of At The Drive-In, even as the rambling vocals on the track follow along that same path.
At some point, there is never a doubt that Young Widows are anything less than consummate musicians. The tracks may never make it big on pop radio, but for a band that creates melody out of something very chaotic, Young Widows are at the head of their class. Young Widows are trying to tell a story with this album, but I am unsure what story they are trying to tell. There are lyrics, but the vocals are screamed out or the lyrics rendered incomprehensible due to some nuance on the band or the disc’s part. This is the perfect example of an album that will take a considerable toll on anyone that is focusing in. The compositions are never intuitive, and each song here is layered to hell and back. The thirty-five minutes of this CD feels three or four times longer than it is, due to the complexity and density with which Young Widows imbue each track on this disc. For any true music fan, “Settle Down City” is a magical ride.
Top Tracks: Glad He Ate Her, Settle Down City
Rating: 6.5/10
[JMcQ]
Young Widows – Settle Down City / Jade Tree / 11 Tracks / http://www.youngwidows.net / http://www.jadetree.com /