IN REVIEW: Young The Giant - "Mind Over Matter"

If I may qualify this review with a slight disclaimer: I realize that, as a man in his late thirties, Young the Giant aren't trying to appeal to my tastes. Crafting the kind of hooky indie rock that seems aimed with laser-guided precision at modern alternative radio, their 2010 debut was borderline offensive in the safety of its execution. Like the "extreme" young fellow in the Mountain Dew commercial their biggest hit My Body soundtracks, their music likes to hang out in high places (albeit strapped with a helmet, knee pads and a triple-checked safety harness) and has the tendency of diving headlong into sugary sweetness.

This isn't meant as a slight of their abilities; they're very good at the approach, and it's served them well with their target demographic. However, it doesn't make Mind Over Matter any less frustrating to listen to. Lead single It's About Time, with its added crunch and off-time beat, signaled the possibility of an album (and a band) poised to explore new and more daring places. Sadly, outside of that tasty piece of bait, there isn't much of anything on Mind Over Matter that excites in the same way.

That's not to say it's a terrible album; indeed, there are a fistful of songs here destined for top down road trip playlists and radio wave dominance as we approach summer. When one of the album's tracks lodges itself into your head to the point of lobotomy consideration, Daydreamer comes to mind as the most likely culprit. And the title track packs the kind of heartfelt swoon that could only coax its full effect as accompaniment to the big break-up scene on a teen drama. And side A closer Firelight is genuinely pleasing in its sullen hopefulness.

The problem with Mind Over Matter is the same one that cursed their debut; with so many huge choruses fighting to live out their single potential, the whole thing kind of collapses together into a molten heap of sunshine and syrup. And that's frustrating because, after hearing It's About Time, I know they're capable of taking more chances (and doing so with positive results) than they're willing to take.

Only two albums in, there's obviously still plenty of time for Young the Giant to take their music to the risky places it seems as though they might like to take it someday. In the meantime we have an album that feels more generic and hit-chasing than the last even though its songs aren't as obviously generic and hit-chasing. It's a calculated risk with little chance of collateral damage: a Harley with training wheels, lemon gin mixed with Mountain Dew, a view of the rollercoaster from the safety of the merry-go-round. And that's okay, but here's hoping they grow into something more.

January 21, 2014 • Fueled By Ramen

Highlights It's About Time • Daydreamer • Firelight