Young the Giant, an indie-rock band based out of Irvine, C.A., released their fourth studio album, “Mirror Master,” on Oct. 12, 2018. The quintet has been egging on eager fans who have been tuned into the band’s instagram page for the album’s release since early June. Several tracks have been released since then, leading up to the official release of their new 12-track album.
Starting up in 2004, the five bandmates Sameer Gadhia, Jacob Tilley, Eric Cannata, Payam Doostzadeh and Francois Comtois have come a long way from their former days as “The Jakes.” Although there are different members of the current band, the present quintet has been together for 10 years.
It has been two years since the band’s last album, “Home of the Strange,” and eight years since their self-titled debut album back in 2010, which included three chart-topping singles of the alternative genre.
Since the new album has been released, “Mirror Master” has climbed up to the number five spot on the iTunes overall album chart, and number one on the iTunes alternative album chart.
To carry on and build from their current success, the band will be going on tour beginning Oct. 25, with their first road stop being Grand Rapids, MI. The band’s last show will be on Nov. 16 in Washington D.C., and the wait for fans will begin once more for another possible YTG release.
The album opens with “Superstition,” a song that signifies the group’s resilience to staying true to their sound. However, their synth and retro details have been amplified in the album as a whole, taking the listener through a nostalgic journey of punk rock melodies, 80s beats and even some vibes from 70s disco.
However, “Call Me Back,” the album’s third track, offers a unique sound that differs from previous YTG releases. The solitary vocals with a softer synth in the background was the gentle beginning to one of the few songs on the album with obvious romantic undertones. Accompanied with the clarity in Gadhia’s vocals, the song showed a softer side that contrasts the grit the lead singer frequently carries on his tracks.
The possible punk rock inspiration the band pulled from came through clearly in their songs “Oblivion,” “Brother’s Keeper,” and the album’s final track, “Mirror Master.” 90s grunge and teen rebellion resonate powerfully with the distorted guitar solos and the roar of Ghadia’s vocals. These songs not only showcase the guitarists’ incredible skill, but the soaring range Ghadia is able to achieve.
What this album may have accomplished was revisiting the same vulnerability they showcased in their first studio album, but on a deeper level than they have put out before in previous works. “Darkest Shade of Blue,” the sixth track, plays into that vulnerability by affirming they will stand by their partner, and emphasizing that loneliness is a distant factor when they are present in their relationships.
As a whole, “Mirror Master” utilizes lyrics that speak on the years of adolescence and everything that comes along with growing up through that era of our lives — young love, heartbreak, rebellion, the struggles of taking care of yourself and the combination of fear and excitement for what the future holds.
A dynamic feature of YTG is that the five bandmates come from different cultural backgrounds, and the sounds from those cultures contribute to groups diversity and versatility when it comes to creating distinct music, and sublime content.
The album closes with the title track, reinstating their theme of youth pride. An upbeat punk sequence leading into a synthesized chorus, the band conveys their confidence in themselves and the youth, letting the listeners know that the world is a “movie of your own design.”
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Macey Rose is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted by email at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @maceyrae9.
