Album Review: The Young Hearts – The Modern State
Reviewed by Tim Finch
Remember back to the early 2000’s, bands like Feeder and Ash ripping up the airwaves and dominating the pages of Kerrang!. An almost happy go lucky time in the rock world as these alt-rock bands soared in popularity and bands now deemed “classic rock” died off. It seems like a lifetime ago now. But listening to ‘The Modern State’, the new album from The Young Hearts, I find myself transported back to those heady days. This album has a warm fuzzy feeling about it.
The intro to opening song ‘Wild & Reckless’ does not give you a glimpse of what is to come, instead it builds an atmosphere, the hairs stand on the back of your neck as the guitar builds and the cymbals chime before BOOM the band fire you into the album proper. The joyous, beautifully written guitar licks drive the album forth whilst the vocals of Craig Lawrence give you that feeling of familiarity. It’s new, its fresh, but at the same time so familiar.
The album bounds along through upbeat numbers with lyrics we can all relate to and certainly bounce along to when live shows eventually return. But title track ‘The Modern State’ is different, the pace slows, the delivery has more drive, it’s direct, heartfelt, purposeful. Then ‘Still Wander’ kicks in, the pace ramps up again and the listener finds themselves bouncing off the walls once more.
Whilst the “New Wave of Classic Rock” revival is in full swing, it’s refreshing to hear a band release something different. It’s not new, or ground breaking in its style, but it is fresh and the band table a different offering from all other bands right now. If you yearn for something new, along the same lines as bands like Feeder then look no further. The Young Hearts ‘The Modern State’ is for you.
