Review Summary: "We only flock this town with the intent to burn it down."
Young Statues is an indie band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed to Run For Cover Records. After a self-titled debut album in 2011 that lacked focus or direction, and a couple of EPs full of cover songs,
The Flatlands Are Your Friend marks a dramatic change in their sound.
In a genre full of album art in this vein, I like
The Flatlands Are Your Friend's cover. The music warrants the multiple exposure, black & white picture of an apartment building and a person's silhouette. Here's another cliché: this album is deep. No really, there's quite a bit of depth here. 'Natives' has an 80's new-wave vibe that's reminiscent of The War on Drugs. In 'Got The Knife', I hear a bit of Opeth. There's also something about 'Don't Fight The Mirage' that reminds me of an In Flames song. Those last two bands aren't commonly mentioned when reviewing an indie album.
As dark as the album can sound, there's something peculiarly upbeat about a song like 'Run the River Dry'. There's a lot electronic ambience throughout the album. This lends itself to some of that upbeat energy while adding a gritty layer of background noise. Carmen Cirignano's vocals are chilling, but the guitars and bass are drenched in gloominess. Tom Ryan's drumming is at the forefront when it needs to be, making 'No Shadow' their fastest and loudest song.
The Flatlands Are Your Friend runs a bit long at 41 minutes. There is a bit of a drop-off after 'Further Away', a haunting and beautiful song that ecompasses every element of the album. It should have been the closer, but the album still finishes strong with a rather folky bottom third. This is a moody album that begs for a time and a place to be listened to. On a strong indie label, Young Statues was lost in the crowd after their first album. Their progression on
The Flatlands Are Your Friend certainly changed that.
