Young The Giant Analysis
Young and Inspired
One of the most difficult aspects of young upcoming bands trying to make a name for themselves is how they distinguish their image from other bands. Young the Giant, a band of multi-cultured background hailing from Irvine California, has built their success on their exemplification of pure indie rock music. The eclectic ensemble of musicians and upbeat energetic sound that Young the Giant delivers is simply catchy and enthralling. The band’s desire to make an impact on their audience through music is what truly makes them special and gives them a unique identity. In Young the Giants performance at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland, the band accentuated the difficulties one faces in growing as a human and negotiating the different boundaries of social values in life. The band’s lyrical manipulation combined with their blatant freedom and disregard of society’s social pressures were masterfully demonstrated in their performance. And, through this performance is how they collectively assert themselves as a true indie rock band. In their live performance, I witnessed how …show more content…
this young adventurous band created a strong identity and connected to their legion of fans. To begin to understand the identity and music of Young the Giant, one must first know what inspirations Young the Giant draw from to create the music they play. Young the Giant started as a small high school band from Orange County, California (Young the Giant, www.Artistfacts.com). The band formally known as, “The Jakes,” was comprised of band members from very different cultural backgrounds ranging from French to Indian. In an interview with www.watchmojo.com, Sameer Gadhia the bands lead singer speaks about how the Orange County, California music scene as well as artists such as Radiohead and Bob Dylan inspired him and his fellow band members to perform. Music was more then a sound, but a means to express social commentary. He discussed how there was a very strong eclectic music scene while the band was in high school and during those years the performers gained motivation to start a band and really commit to making music as a career originated. After the band members graduated high school the band collectively dropped out of college to pursue Young the Giant as a full time career; this is where they began formulating a true identity for themselves. I have been a fan of Young the Giant since their debut self-titled album “Young the Giant” was released in late 2010.
As an avid indie rock fan I found Young the Giant a pleasant mix between upbeat rock music and soft melodies with acoustic rhythms. I like indie rock because of its flexibility as a genre. It does not base itself in hard-hitting beats such as EDM or conversely as very acoustic, soft sounds such as folk music. In an article written by Ryan Hibbet, in the journal of Popular Music and Society, titled “What is Indie Rock,” he defines the genre as,
Independent of the economic and political forces, as well as the value systems and aesthetic criteria, of large‐scale production. At the same time, in its manifestation as “indie” (not “independent”), indie rock mystifies itself, its more literal meanings giving way to something both trendy and exclusive (Hibbet,
58).
The ambiguity and the diverseness of this genre is what attracts me to it and I feel it is what Young the Giant truly represents. From a purely instrumental perspective, they do not produce any electronic beats; they utilize new technologies such as voice and guitar pedals. However, their music is always recorded live and they pride themselves in that (Watchmojo.com interview, March 17th, 2012). The band lyrically also connects to their fans on an intimate level, which becomes more evident during a live performance when inflexion is utilized, the subtleties and emotion may not be apparent in their songs in MP3 version; but while seeing them live in concert Sameer Ghadia, the lead singer, gives context to his songs which lends to a further understanding and deeper appreciation of their music. The identity they built around the indie rock genre is one of free flowing music that has no big recording label influence gripping Young the Giant to a certain model of music they can perform. The music they play, and especially the way they present themselves live, is truly authentic and original. When seeing Young the Giant live at The Fillmore I left with a deeper recognition of their music. The venue, The Fillmore, was a perfect place to see Young the Giant perform. The venue holds maximum 2,000 attendees (Thefillmoresilverspring.com), is dimly lit with ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the stage is very basic with simple red curtains as a background and a sophisticated light system. Though, what made the concert notable was the proximity any attendee has to the stage. I was 50 feet from the stage in a position I could read the artists faces and emotions being displayed as they were performing. This intimate setting combined with the bands ongoing dialogue with the audience created an atmosphere of familiarity and friendliness that enhanced the experience for all who attended. The banter between Young the Giant and the fans was one of genuine appreciation and humbleness. Each band member thanked the fans for their support, which created an intimate bond between the audience and the performers. This part of the concert was quite emotional and showed the fans that they are really quite human not superstars, and that they have an appreciation of their fans and a fervor for their work.
Though, there were other aspects of the show that were unfamiliar for me at an indie rock concert. The intimate setting where I saw the group last in the summer of 2012, was similar to The Fillmore, however, the atmosphere during the concert at The Fillmore was a whole new experience. The Fillmore crowd was more mature, unlike with past Indie rock concerts I have attended the audience which is usually quite young between the ages of 16- 30, men and women alike, who were either fans of indie rock music or simply enjoy going to concerts. This concert though, the audience was much less influential in the artist’s performance. The audience was a much older crowd, I believe all locals from the surrounding area, who seemed to not know Young the Giant’s music, but rather attended the concert as a Sunday night activity. The crowd was very static and less involved even as Young the Giant played their more familiar songs, which made for a very different experience for me, this group had to be won over and were not long time followers of the band. The effect of the audience truly influenced Young the Giant’s image. Young the Giant is a free spirited band whose fans and followers in my opinion are primarily students and young adults. Their music connects to the minds of college students and a much younger demographic than those who attended at the concert. Indie rock concerts are usually very interactive or as Thomas Turino an American ethnomusicologist would put, “(a) participatory performance” he describes such a performance as “a special type of artistic practice in which there are no artist-audience distinctions… and the primary goal is to involve the maximum number of people in some performance role” (Turino, 26). Unfortunately this was fully the case at the Fillmore concert, but for fans like me the concert was an excellent musical performance and highlighted why I love the band in an unfamiliar context. Out of estrangement grew intimacy. The band members all in their mid 20’s were all very casually dressed with jeans or khakis and t-shirts. The band members dress is a way they connect with fans. Young the Giant isn’t some ostentatious band that has elaborate and flamboyant performances with different costumes and outfits. They perform with a passion and an eagerness to connect with their fans; this is made obvious through their dress, the way they perform and the music that they play. At the beginning of the concert the band played their hit single off their new record titled, “It’s About Time” which really reflect the bands identity for many reasons and drew the audience into the performance. The song “It’s About Time” is an upbeat and powerful song that set the tone for the rest of the concert. The song lyrically represents the band’s identity well, but seeing it performed live in concert really expresses the bands values. The song discusses self-imposed limits people impose upon themselves caused by social pressures (Songfacts.com). This connects to fans universally, however, it especially relates to college students, who are more susceptible to social pressures, and often conform to those pressures. The style and substance in the manner in which Young the Giant performs is what makes them unique and offers a different path to link with the music. As the band members performed on stage there was no one stationary and rigid; the band was hopping around interacting with fans and trying to energize the audience. The body movements of pure ecstasy and deep passion that Sameer Gadhia presented on stage was a true depiction of how he feels about the music he performs. His free flowing movements and gestures are one, which speak to his carefree lifestyle in which he and the band live. The presentation and the bands stage presence illustrate a vivid picture that can be understood through listening to their music. The songs that Young the Giant perform are not geared for the bands own gain - they are written for the fans. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine journalist, Kenny Herzog, Sameer Gadhia explains that he writes his songs for the fans. Gadhia goes on too say that he feels his lyrics are, “Writing that can be understood at a lot of different levels. There 's stuff that 's very surface and can be simple love songs or a story that makes very cohesive sense, and there can be undertones that convey deeper meaning” (Rolling Stone interview, January 22nd, 2014). The identity which Young the Giant tirelessly build(s) is to create authentic indie rock music that can inspire their fans and also express themselves in their own distinctive fashion. Overall, as a band, I feel Young the Giant has successfully carved out a unique well-defined identity that has allowed them to connect with fans around the globe. The style and passion in which Young the Giant perform and the means in which they do so represents a strong image as a band. The band speaks to freedom from pressures and social problems that inhibit people from being who they are. Through Young the Giant’s attitude, dress, stage presence and performance they bring out a deeper meaning in their music. The ambiance that Young the Giant shows is liberating, it propels the audience to try and express their true selves. Sameer Gadhia sums up the bands purpose and identity as a whole in one sentence, “The obstacles one creates for themselves are the only things that can really destroy you,” (Rolling Stone interview, January 22nd, 2014). The bands musical identity is one that fans can feed off and nurture. Young the Giant’s music is influential to listeners, but seeing them live will take this understanding to another level.
Work Cited
Cohen, I. (2011, February 3). Young the Giant: Young the Giant. Retrieved from http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15030-young-the-giant/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac
Gadhai, S. (2012, March 17). Interview with Young the Giant [Interview by R. Briton]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Misg6ZSaaJA
Herzog, K. (2014, January 22). How Young the Giant Found Their Voice and Lost Their Inhibition. Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-young-the-giant-found-their-voice-and-lost-their-inhibition-20140122
Hibbett, R. (2005). What Is Indie Rock? Popular Music and Society, 28(1), 55-77. doi: 10.1080/0300776042000300972
Jackson, N. (2012, July 19). Young the Giant Are OC 's Next Great Band. Retrieved from http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-07-19/music/young-the-giant-irvine-francois-comtois-payam-doostzadeh-eric-cannata-sameer-gadhia-jacob-tilley/
Turino, T. (2008). Music as social life: The politics of participation. University of Chicago Press.
Young the Giant. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.artistfacts.com/detail.php?id=2739
One of the most difficult aspects of young upcoming bands trying to make a name for themselves is how they distinguish their image from other bands. Young the Giant, a band of multi-cultured background hailing from Irvine California, has built their success on their exemplification of pure indie rock music. The eclectic ensemble of musicians and upbeat energetic sound that Young the Giant delivers is simply catchy and enthralling. The band’s desire to make an impact on their audience through music is what truly makes them special and gives them a unique identity. In Young the Giants performance at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland, the band accentuated the difficulties one faces in growing as a human and negotiating the different boundaries of social values in life. The band’s lyrical manipulation combined with their blatant freedom and disregard of society’s social pressures were masterfully demonstrated in their performance. And, through this performance is how they collectively assert themselves as a true indie rock band. In their live performance, I witnessed how …show more content…
this young adventurous band created a strong identity and connected to their legion of fans. To begin to understand the identity and music of Young the Giant, one must first know what inspirations Young the Giant draw from to create the music they play. Young the Giant started as a small high school band from Orange County, California (Young the Giant, www.Artistfacts.com). The band formally known as, “The Jakes,” was comprised of band members from very different cultural backgrounds ranging from French to Indian. In an interview with www.watchmojo.com, Sameer Gadhia the bands lead singer speaks about how the Orange County, California music scene as well as artists such as Radiohead and Bob Dylan inspired him and his fellow band members to perform. Music was more then a sound, but a means to express social commentary. He discussed how there was a very strong eclectic music scene while the band was in high school and during those years the performers gained motivation to start a band and really commit to making music as a career originated. After the band members graduated high school the band collectively dropped out of college to pursue Young the Giant as a full time career; this is where they began formulating a true identity for themselves. I have been a fan of Young the Giant since their debut self-titled album “Young the Giant” was released in late 2010.
As an avid indie rock fan I found Young the Giant a pleasant mix between upbeat rock music and soft melodies with acoustic rhythms. I like indie rock because of its flexibility as a genre. It does not base itself in hard-hitting beats such as EDM or conversely as very acoustic, soft sounds such as folk music. In an article written by Ryan Hibbet, in the journal of Popular Music and Society, titled “What is Indie Rock,” he defines the genre as,
Independent of the economic and political forces, as well as the value systems and aesthetic criteria, of large‐scale production. At the same time, in its manifestation as “indie” (not “independent”), indie rock mystifies itself, its more literal meanings giving way to something both trendy and exclusive (Hibbet,
58).
The ambiguity and the diverseness of this genre is what attracts me to it and I feel it is what Young the Giant truly represents. From a purely instrumental perspective, they do not produce any electronic beats; they utilize new technologies such as voice and guitar pedals. However, their music is always recorded live and they pride themselves in that (Watchmojo.com interview, March 17th, 2012). The band lyrically also connects to their fans on an intimate level, which becomes more evident during a live performance when inflexion is utilized, the subtleties and emotion may not be apparent in their songs in MP3 version; but while seeing them live in concert Sameer Ghadia, the lead singer, gives context to his songs which lends to a further understanding and deeper appreciation of their music. The identity they built around the indie rock genre is one of free flowing music that has no big recording label influence gripping Young the Giant to a certain model of music they can perform. The music they play, and especially the way they present themselves live, is truly authentic and original. When seeing Young the Giant live at The Fillmore I left with a deeper recognition of their music. The venue, The Fillmore, was a perfect place to see Young the Giant perform. The venue holds maximum 2,000 attendees (Thefillmoresilverspring.com), is dimly lit with ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the stage is very basic with simple red curtains as a background and a sophisticated light system. Though, what made the concert notable was the proximity any attendee has to the stage. I was 50 feet from the stage in a position I could read the artists faces and emotions being displayed as they were performing. This intimate setting combined with the bands ongoing dialogue with the audience created an atmosphere of familiarity and friendliness that enhanced the experience for all who attended. The banter between Young the Giant and the fans was one of genuine appreciation and humbleness. Each band member thanked the fans for their support, which created an intimate bond between the audience and the performers. This part of the concert was quite emotional and showed the fans that they are really quite human not superstars, and that they have an appreciation of their fans and a fervor for their work.
Though, there were other aspects of the show that were unfamiliar for me at an indie rock concert. The intimate setting where I saw the group last in the summer of 2012, was similar to The Fillmore, however, the atmosphere during the concert at The Fillmore was a whole new experience. The Fillmore crowd was more mature, unlike with past Indie rock concerts I have attended the audience which is usually quite young between the ages of 16- 30, men and women alike, who were either fans of indie rock music or simply enjoy going to concerts. This concert though, the audience was much less influential in the artist’s performance. The audience was a much older crowd, I believe all locals from the surrounding area, who seemed to not know Young the Giant’s music, but rather attended the concert as a Sunday night activity. The crowd was very static and less involved even as Young the Giant played their more familiar songs, which made for a very different experience for me, this group had to be won over and were not long time followers of the band. The effect of the audience truly influenced Young the Giant’s image. Young the Giant is a free spirited band whose fans and followers in my opinion are primarily students and young adults. Their music connects to the minds of college students and a much younger demographic than those who attended at the concert. Indie rock concerts are usually very interactive or as Thomas Turino an American ethnomusicologist would put, “(a) participatory performance” he describes such a performance as “a special type of artistic practice in which there are no artist-audience distinctions… and the primary goal is to involve the maximum number of people in some performance role” (Turino, 26). Unfortunately this was fully the case at the Fillmore concert, but for fans like me the concert was an excellent musical performance and highlighted why I love the band in an unfamiliar context. Out of estrangement grew intimacy. The band members all in their mid 20’s were all very casually dressed with jeans or khakis and t-shirts. The band members dress is a way they connect with fans. Young the Giant isn’t some ostentatious band that has elaborate and flamboyant performances with different costumes and outfits. They perform with a passion and an eagerness to connect with their fans; this is made obvious through their dress, the way they perform and the music that they play. At the beginning of the concert the band played their hit single off their new record titled, “It’s About Time” which really reflect the bands identity for many reasons and drew the audience into the performance. The song “It’s About Time” is an upbeat and powerful song that set the tone for the rest of the concert. The song lyrically represents the band’s identity well, but seeing it performed live in concert really expresses the bands values. The song discusses self-imposed limits people impose upon themselves caused by social pressures (Songfacts.com). This connects to fans universally, however, it especially relates to college students, who are more susceptible to social pressures, and often conform to those pressures. The style and substance in the manner in which Young the Giant performs is what makes them unique and offers a different path to link with the music. As the band members performed on stage there was no one stationary and rigid; the band was hopping around interacting with fans and trying to energize the audience. The body movements of pure ecstasy and deep passion that Sameer Gadhia presented on stage was a true depiction of how he feels about the music he performs. His free flowing movements and gestures are one, which speak to his carefree lifestyle in which he and the band live. The presentation and the bands stage presence illustrate a vivid picture that can be understood through listening to their music. The songs that Young the Giant perform are not geared for the bands own gain - they are written for the fans. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine journalist, Kenny Herzog, Sameer Gadhia explains that he writes his songs for the fans. Gadhia goes on too say that he feels his lyrics are, “Writing that can be understood at a lot of different levels. There 's stuff that 's very surface and can be simple love songs or a story that makes very cohesive sense, and there can be undertones that convey deeper meaning” (Rolling Stone interview, January 22nd, 2014). The identity which Young the Giant tirelessly build(s) is to create authentic indie rock music that can inspire their fans and also express themselves in their own distinctive fashion. Overall, as a band, I feel Young the Giant has successfully carved out a unique well-defined identity that has allowed them to connect with fans around the globe. The style and passion in which Young the Giant perform and the means in which they do so represents a strong image as a band. The band speaks to freedom from pressures and social problems that inhibit people from being who they are. Through Young the Giant’s attitude, dress, stage presence and performance they bring out a deeper meaning in their music. The ambiance that Young the Giant shows is liberating, it propels the audience to try and express their true selves. Sameer Gadhia sums up the bands purpose and identity as a whole in one sentence, “The obstacles one creates for themselves are the only things that can really destroy you,” (Rolling Stone interview, January 22nd, 2014). The bands musical identity is one that fans can feed off and nurture. Young the Giant’s music is influential to listeners, but seeing them live will take this understanding to another level.
Work Cited
Cohen, I. (2011, February 3). Young the Giant: Young the Giant. Retrieved from http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15030-young-the-giant/?utm_campaign=search&utm_medium=site&utm_source=search-ac
Gadhai, S. (2012, March 17). Interview with Young the Giant [Interview by R. Briton]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Misg6ZSaaJA
Herzog, K. (2014, January 22). How Young the Giant Found Their Voice and Lost Their Inhibition. Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-young-the-giant-found-their-voice-and-lost-their-inhibition-20140122
Hibbett, R. (2005). What Is Indie Rock? Popular Music and Society, 28(1), 55-77. doi: 10.1080/0300776042000300972
Jackson, N. (2012, July 19). Young the Giant Are OC 's Next Great Band. Retrieved from http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-07-19/music/young-the-giant-irvine-francois-comtois-payam-doostzadeh-eric-cannata-sameer-gadhia-jacob-tilley/
Turino, T. (2008). Music as social life: The politics of participation. University of Chicago Press.
Young the Giant. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.artistfacts.com/detail.php?id=2739