Yung

These Thoughts Are Like Mandatory Chores EP

Written by: PP on 09/01/2016 18:04:01

Yung's musical career prospects are pointing decisively upward, following a solid performance in front of a packed Stengade audience a year ago, a well-received Roskilde Festival performance, and an upcoming appearance at the SXSW showcase festival across the pond. 2014's album "Falter" was an excellent debut with references to The Distillers and Nirvana in equal measure, though the driving force was the rollicking, Fucked Up-inspired post-punk fueling an expression that felt alive and buzzing all the way through. A few months ago, the band finally released a follow-up in the form of "These Thoughts Are Like Mandatory Chores" EP, which retains much of the good from "Falter" (released as "Alter" EP internationally), while providing a gradual stylistic shift away from the rebellious vibes of raw punk rock into straight up garage rock / post-punk extravaganza.

The Nirvana references, which were scattered everywhere on "Falter", have been toned down this time around, replaced by a catchy garage rock-ish expression. Vocalist Yung Shord still assumes a droning, faded-back style with his grungy croons being a key ingredient in forming a sense of urgency and immediacy that surrounds this EP. Sure, it caters to the pretentious hipster circles given its echoing style, but that vibe is negated by a raw, honesty-driven feeling that comes across their high-octane instrumentals. You can definitely tell that everyone playing is genuinely loving it.

The guitars have taken a brighter and more upbeat tone from the past, where for example "It Happened Again" features playful melodies that recall the early material by The Strokes. There's still plenty of buzzing distortion, which together with the mostly frantic pace ensures the expression feels not just energetic, but also dynamic in a way that's not shared by many of their peers. At the same time, the melodies are exceptionally catchy. "God" and "Blue Uniforms" keep an uptempo approach, and combine it with infectious vocal passages that contribute to the sense of urgency and immediacy I mentioned earlier. The guitar playing is inventive and fun, featuring plenty of groove and vivid distortion that should appeal to a wide spectrum of rock music fans.

In summary, "These Thoughts Are Like Mandatory Chores" EP sees Yung drop some of the punk influences of "Falter" and move fully to the world of post-punk and garage, and they do so gracefully, leaving behind a catchy, albeit raw expression that should appeal to fans and critics alike. The slower ballad "Offshore" and the lo-fi acoustic "Too Good For You" are arguably weaker tracks that could've been skipped, but the other four tracks prove Yung can still write catchy garage/post-punk mixture like no other band in Denmark.

Download: God, It Happened Again
For the fans of: Fucked Up, Nirvana, The Strokes
Listen: Facebook

Release date 18.09.2015
Fat Possum / Tough Love

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