YOUNG ANTIQUES "SOUNDTRACK TO TEAR US APART" REVIEW JULY 2009

Critic's Rating:
4 out of 5


CD Review: Young Antiques By Matt Amato

Take a gander around Little Five Points. Notice any retro styles? Jeans are getting tighter and some hairstyles more flamboyant than usual—even by scenester standards. There’s also a musical movement afoot—garage pop.


As the name suggests, it’s an edgier version of typical '80s pop, which provides much-needed rough edges to an all-too manufactured sound. The best local protagonists of this infectious, fledgling genre, The Young Antiques, have been part of the city's music scene for almost a decade.


The group's latest album, “Soundtrack to Tear Us Apart,” leans toward pop sensibilities—songs cut in three-to-four minute time ranges and rigidly structured—while eschewing pop's more asinine aspects in favor of something more hardened and genuine.


Some critics lampoon garage pop as sounding overly conflicted, as if it were musical parody incapable of delivering insightful bite. That’s utter nonsense. Bands like The Replacements remain influential torch bearers—and it’s no surprise to find the 'Tiques are receptive students.


"The Glamour Crowd," reflecting the pretentiousness around the local scene, is interesting. While there are Replacements-style touches, particularly in the guitar riffs, delicate breaks hint at more ethereal British influences like The Clash and Jam.


The layering of punk is more prevalent on "Tado Ando," which, perplexingly, is branded with pop undertones. Bookending the album, "Nothing At All" and "On a Planet," are what may be referred to as signature tracks, infused with punch, and definitely commercially viable.


For the band’s growing fan base, there’s giddy excitement about the 'Tiques’ third LP, and for good reason. For one, after a lengthy hiatus in which singer/songwriter Blake Rainey went solo, cohesion has audibly returned. Furthermore, production quality is high. For any genre with pop in the title, these are crucial elements keeping the album from crossing a fine line.


The band’s energetic sound, presumably a result of absence making the heart grow fonder, has been given directional impetus. A fresh, bright and slightly raw album is reward for refining with age.