Young the Giant's "Mind" Is Beautiful Indeed

Irvine, California's Young The Giant has successfully attacked its artistic canvas head on with "Mind Over Matter" in which it's sublime pleasure watching the colors of the color wheel slowly bleed into what turns out to be an engaging mini masterpiece. Sameer Gadhia is nothing but supercharged behind the mike. He craves the reliable presence of his ladylove. His rooting value spikes with every passing, pleading note. Francois Comtois's drumming skips along in an uninhibited trance mode bound to spike the adrenaline of listeners everywhere. His beats accompany Sameer's determination in the best way possible. Payam Doostzadeh bass playing is millionaire's mansion rich, intricate, inherently passionate, as well as a steady rock which also aids in Sameer's love proclamations. Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata dot the landscape of this winsome jewel in much the same way creamy frosting enhances the flavor directions for a celebratory cake. Sameer contends no matter what coast of this Earth he finds himself he's always got her, the woman whose presence makes the world spin a little more magically, on his mind. He's quick to change her apathetic perspective so as to make her see he's not going away quietly. As seasons change, will she still be there? Is she dependable and special in the same breath? The "Mind Over Matter" album was released a scant 10 days ago. This band has carved out laudable credibility as one schooled in the art of dispensing rock that digs beneath the surface and beckons you to approach it on its own intellectual level. Young The Giant's primary genre classification is alt-rock, the genre kicked into the limelight by the now defunct R.E.M., the constantly goth The Cure and the off and on drugged up misadventures of Depeche Mode. As was true for heavy metal during much of its early history, alt-rock was flying beneath the radar, that one hoped for prayed for brush with commercial glories out of reach for the foreseeable future. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't join up with the ranks of people who scream sellout whenever one of their pet bands moves a few extra units off the shelves but nor do I deny that alt-rock free of corporate concerns can here and there produce glimpses of what music's potential as an art form really can be across the spectrum. Young The Giant is in that zone where contemporary radio may not be sold on their marketability yet that's noteworthy bonus points for we who aren't the business of the art of the music deal. How enthralling is the instrumental jigsaw puzzle after you've taken the parts out of the box, fit them into their proper niches, and then stood back long enough to take the measure of the artwork that has resulted? In the case of "Mind Over Matter" what we've got is a textural goldmine that leaves none of us the poorer for having made the time investment. Kudos to the members of the record buying public who are convinced enough of Young The Giant's importance as alt-rock seekers of the truth that they have rushed out to add the whole kit and kaboodle to their IPod must play libraries. If you're tired of the run of the mill celeb shenanigans from the likes of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and the rest of the parade of recently "grown-up" stars who consume most of their energies trying to convince us of how adult their brand of entertainment now is, Young The Giant's new entry into the global marketplace ought to fill you up with prime rock nutrients, not empty crass calories masquerading as an entree that leaves you satsifyingly full. Eat up everyone. You'll be glad you dropped in for a bite.