This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. On the sixth studio album from Young The Giant, called Victory Garden, the band described the approach to the record as a tribute to “radical empathy.” We could all use a bit of that these days with the state of the world being what it is, and the constant barrage of negative news outweighing any glimmers of good. On the opening track of “Evergreen”, Young The Giant have the concept of a garden top of mind as frontman Sameer Gadhia croons, “Don’t blink, or you might miss it / ‘Life is a garden’, you said / Just walk among the flowers / Don’t kill or be devoured,” in a way of setting the tone for the very topical album that is built around the human elements of accepting others. The set was co-produced by veteran Brendan O’Brien (Incubus, The Killers) as well as the band, and Victory Garden is another solid effort from one of the most consistent bands in the current Alt Rock scene. After the synth-heavy opener, the lead single of “Different Kind of Love” sets the tone for the rest of the material that follows on Victory Garden with a thought-provoking chorus of, “Living in a house that’s not your home / Living on a prayer you used to know / Give in to the weight, but don’t let go / Don’t let go.” It’s solid advice to live by, and Gadhia’s trademark vocal performance remains top notch, captivating, and is filled with purpose in every lyric. As the song unfolds, Young The Giant rally around their lead singer with a full section of instruments packing a nice punch to them. “Bitter Fruit” was the second track to be released as a single, and it’s a bit of an odd choice of a single since I felt like other songs on this record were stronger. The song bellows in the verses, while Gadhia switches into a different gear with the anthemic chorus of, “I wanna feel alive again / I wanna laugh and cry just like a child again / I wanna fall in love again / Just one more taste of bitter fruit before the end.” It’s a relatable feeling to want to re-capture the days of being a care-free youngster, and it’s easy to see why a person seeing the horrors of the world would clamor for a “reset.” ”Already There” ended up being one of my favorite songs in the set with its steady synth beat, paired with smooth vocals from Gadhia, and some cool guitar sections in the background from Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata. It’s on this love song that Gadhia longs for a deeper connection with his soulmate as he sings, “I miss your laugh / Naked in the bath / It’s all I can dream about / The days are long / I don’t know when I’ll be home / We’ll run away from the sun all night,” and it’s easy to see the direction that Young The Giant were going for on this record. “Ships Passing” is a mid-tempo rocker that provides a great musical template or Gadhia to add his instantly recognizable croon over it. Much like the previous song, Sameer daydreams about being with his lover that he’s apart from as he explains, “You’re the missed call on the telephone / A trace of perfume in the dressing room / When everything here makes me think of you / I’m holding my breath, just holding my breath.” ”This Too Shall Pass” features a cool bass groove from Payam Doostzadeh, while the somber song highlights the wanting for better days ahead. Gadhia’s great vocal performance on the bridge of, “Your roots run deep, my friend / You didn’t break the branch / New leaves will grow instead / This too shall pass, I promise,” uses the underlying metaphor of a garden that is prominent throughout the album and expands into the territory of human decency. ”Mona Lisa” is a bit of a doo-wop throwback track that is different than what Young The Giant have attempted in the past, and I’m happy to see that the band are still taking a few calculated risks along the way in their artistic process. I found the section of expanded second verse lyrics of, “I see your picture everywhere I go / You’re keeping secrets no one ever knows / Little Mona Lisa with a heart of gold / Did you smile at me / In your glass menagerie?” to be well-constructed, even if the Mona Lisa concept has been done to death in the music scene. “God As Witness” brings back the synths in a big way, and showcases the 80’s groove that Young The Giant tap into on this record. Gadhia admits on the chorus that, “Lately I’m feeling myself / Tired of waiting on everyone else,” with a bit of a swagger to his vocal approach that is more than welcomed. On “Are You With Me?” the band ponders when the world will turn a new page and start looking out for each other again. Gadhia sings breathy vocals of, “Love and lust, till death and dust, together / Floating on the spinning rock of pleasure / In another dream, we could be free,” in a bit of a dreamscape-type of song that works the same as an interlude in its construction. “The Garden” features a steady beat from Francois Comtois on the kit, while Sameer Gadhia continues to impress in the vocal department on the key song from the set. Picturesque lyrics like, “The sun didn’t rise in the west / But there’s beauty when it sets / Like a dreamer broke his chains / Like a heartbeat born from pain / I’ll meet you in the garden / Where it began,” paint with broad, vivid strokes and do a remarkable job of explaining the current state of our world. ”Life is a Long Goodbye” closes out Victory Garden on a somber note, with a heartfelt piano-based ballad that allows for Gadhia to croon his intricate poetry over. The song never overstays its welcome as Gadhia leaves the listener with, “Staring at a desert sky / Play it out a thousand times / Never know the reason why / Life is a long goodbye.” The band has a deep connection with Mother Earth and that’s apparent on this record throughout the narrative presented in the lyrics of Victory Garden. One can only hope our leaders of tomorrow take this advice presented here to heart and look for a way of getting back to the basics of human empathy and wanting to make real change in the world. Time’s almost up, and Young The Giant express this with a gentle urgency in their approach to their dynamic music. more Not all embedded content is displayed here. You can view the original to see embedded videos and other embedded content.
Absolutely fantastic album. Can't wait to let this vinyl play through on a long summer day, exactly as the band intended.