Young Republic News
Hmm, there are some interesting bits and pieces of Young Republic news floating about that I thought I might pass on, seeing as they are both a top band and really nice people.
You remember how I mentioned a while back that the move to Nashville had interrupted their flow somewhat and brought about some changes in the band. MJ the pianist couldn’t settle in Nashville and losing their flautist resulted in the drummer going with her, so things were a little rocky for a bit. Well Dusty Jensen has been on board for a little over six months, I think, playing the pots and pans and they have a new EP approaching quite soon. They and the label are still deciding whether to put out the most obviously commercially appealing EP first, or its companion, a slightly darker, less jaunty affair.
So what do you do – there’s no point being willfully obtuse with the music press because their concentration span just isn’t that long. But then, why not just release things how you would prefer to do it and commercial stategy be damned. Let’s face it, who likes what and why is a pretty random equation and not one that is really all that easy to second-guess. My advice would be to fuck it and go with what you’d rather do, but then if anyone gave a shit about my advice then they’d be paying me to give it to them, wouldn’t they.
Anyway, there’s a recent session with the band up on The Futurist at the moment, which is the blog associated with WOXY.com. There’s an interview and a couple of session tracks to download, one of which I have reposted below. I’ve only re-hosted it because I am guessing that the WOXY chaps would prefer that to hotlinking, but if you’re from WOXY and want me to take it down then just say so.
The Young Republic – Third Night Balcony (Live on WOXY – full session here)
The Young Republic – Blue Skies
These guys are in a class of their own.
I hope the difficulties they’ve been through over the past few months don’t do any lasting damage and that they bounce back even stronger.
From this WOXY track it sounds like they haven’t missed a beat. I want to see these chilluns live. To be honest, though, there’s something nostalgic about their sound that makes me wonder whether they’ll ever make the “leap” to pop stardom. Can you see even their catchiest tunes being performed on Top of the Pops? I think they should just release the music that means most to them at the time, and let the chips fall. That way they’ll build a devoted following that will be with them forever instead of trying to blow their collective wad in search of some sort of chart success.
I agree with C&B.
(Even if he did make fun of me on the Porlolo thread. Git.)
And yes, believe me, you do want to see them live.. In front of about fourteen people in Edinburgh, and with one or two disobediant instruments hampering them, they rocked.
Ach, sorry ’bout that, Dylan. Git? Yes. Snarky? Yes. Faecalith? Alas, yes. I hang my head in shame.