Album Debut: "Rogue Band of Youth" by Rogue Band of Youth

Rogue Band of Youth will celebrate the release of
their self-titled full length at Nightlight in Chapel Hill
on Saturday, Mar. 29

Sometimes it's best to revel in simplicity. The contemporary music scene has become affixed on jamming as much detail into one track as possible, whether that be with densely packed electronic experimentations or massive orchestrations. But every now and then it's nice to be able to tune out and drop in to some stripped down music, to return to the roots and immerse yourself in music that's focused on a powerful core. Rogue Band of Youth seem to have found that sweet spot, sure you'll find a few well placed string sections that flesh out these excellent folk rock tracks, but their self-titled debut is mostly filled with straightforward tunes that flesh out rich narratives and vivid images.

This focused trio of Carrboro based musicians have been writing songs together since 2012, but even the impressive work on their previous EPs can't compare to the deft songwriting on display on Rogue Band of Youth. Tracks are contextualized with subtle field recordings that give an air of a warm southern days, tight harmonies give way to powerful melodies that soar atop a bed of delicate acoustic instrumentation. The album starts out with "Fair Shake," driven by a briskly fingerpicked acoustic guitar that slowly unfurls with a rolling vocal melody that gradually rises to a serendipitous three-part harmony seeping with emotion.

The interplay between James Patrick, Chloe Gude, and Jack Hartley's vocals is enough alone to make this self-titled debut worth a listen, but once you dig deeper into these songs you begin to clutch onto their ethos. Harmonicas are used as vibrant textures, pizzicato strings provide bouncing rhythms and lilting vocal arrangements make for dynamic tracks despite their stripped back set-ups. Rogue Band of Youth prove that you don't need 10-piece string sections or cutting edge technology to create a captivating album, what you need is a story to tell, a song to sing and a soapbox to shout from. Through their meaningful storytelling and catchy choruses, Rogue Band of Youth have crafted an immensely enjoyable album that sets the band up for a promising future with limitless possibilities. Rogue Band of Youth will be officially released on Saturday, March 29 at Nightlight in Chapel Hill alongside label mate Jphono1, Hospital Smokers and an acoustic set from T0W3RS. Check below for a full stream of the album along with their additional tour dates:

Rogue Band of Youth Tour Dates
Mar.
27 - The Mothlight in Asheville, NC
28 - Billy's Barn in Salem, VA
29 - Nightlight in Chapel Hill, NC

Apr.
3 - The Caledonia Lounge in Athens, GA
4 - WPBR Radio-room in Greenville, SC
5 - Doodad Farm in Greensboro, NC

May
2 - Slim's in Raleigh, NC