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

Show Preview: Gross Ghost w/ Last Year’s Men, Schooner

Gross Ghost at Kings Barcade at Hopscotch 2013

Gross Ghost are having their record release party at Cat’s Cradle’s newly constructed back room on Friday, November 22. The night will be stacked with local rockers Last Year’s Men and Schooner opening.

Schooner celebrated their much awaited first national release Neighborhood Veins (PotLuck, 2013) at the end of September.  The album got high reviews from outlets such as Pop Matters and BLURT magazine, which isn’t surprising considering the local love they’ve seen over the years. It showcases a good balance between fast and slow paced “pop-indie-psych-soul” with echoing low vocals from Reid Johnson. A good handful of the songs you’ll find yourself not being able to get out of your head, or at the least get caught dancing to at stop lights in the car.

Chapel Hill’s Last Year’s Men are some of the most fun guys to watch or just have general banter with. Expect garage rock reminiscent of The Stooges and Spider Bags with the energy of someone who just shotgunned a PBR then set the can on fire. Currently on Churchkey Records, the band has one full length out, Sunny Down Snuff that’s packed full of solid tracks that translate well to a live show.

Gross Ghost’s second full length LP Public Housing came on Odessa Records on October 29. This record marks a follow up to their debut Brer Rabbit (Grip Tapes, 2012), that was so well-received that the band snagged a main stage slot at this year’s Hopscotch Music Festival, opening for Future Islands, Holy Ghost!, and A-Trak. Public Housing follows the Gross Ghost sound consistently accomplished on the first album, and continues with ten tracks of fuzz, hooks, and catchy melodies. Seeing the band perform is always a treat, and with new material to share it will have a fresh spin of energy.

Doors are at 8:30 pm and the show starts at 9:30 pm. Tickets are $8.00 in advance and $10.00 day-of. Gross Ghost is also offering half off the price of CD or vinyl purchases with admission. For more information about the show, visit www.catscradle.com.