Review Summary: Young Aussie half brother/sister duo create dense, piano driven indie pop.
2010 is coming to a close yet one of the year’s finest offerings remain unreviewed. I am here to correct that horrid blasphemy by putting together a review of my own. The album I hold in such high regard is “We Are The Lost Loves” by Young Heretics, an Aussie based indie pop duo consisting of Kitty Hart and Matthew Wright. As their first official full length, this record boasts prodigious songwriting abilities, powerful dual vocal performances and top notch production values, all the more impressive given that this group spawned in 2009, leaving less than a year to put this badboy up for grabs.
The genre for this group’s music is generally categorized as indie pop but I feel that the tag is misleading because of how richly composed and heavyhearted this all sounds. The piano is the primary element here, generally either creating upbeat rhythms as in lead single Risk/Loss or carrying the weight of pain stricken ballads “I Know I’m A Wolf”. The peerless execution of the piano lends great emotional heft, especially when coupled with Kitty’s vocals and the equally diverse backing instrumentation. As the lead vocalist you couldn’t ask for much more from Kitty. She is a sensational vocalist, captivating the listener when ever possible with her deeply emotional croon and crystal clear tone. Her aesthetically pleasing voice makes lyrics relatively easy to follow along and melodic hooks that will stay in your head long after the song has ended. The record is formulated by a straightforward approach of entrancing melodies and catchy verse to chorus formats which should lend great appeal for the skeptical music fan. And with eleven songs with none clocking in over at five, “We Are The Lost Loves” is an easy album to digest.
I read that sixty musicians were involved in the process of this album. I’m not surprised really because this is such a dense, melancholy record. Besides piano and vocals, harp, bells, various synthesizer sounds, light percussion, acoustic guitar and brass instrumentation help shape up this musical beast. Songwriting values are tight as well. You have your up-tempo singles, brooding ballads, down beat acoustics, and experimental tracks. All varying in tempo, melodic prowess and intricacy. “Come Together” features some odd Chipmunk like vocals, closer Trapperkeeper” explodes into brass instrumental madness, and “ I Know I’m A Wolf” features Matthew taking over the vocal reigns to deliver one of the most awe-inspiring songs in 2010.
Kitty and Matthew are clearly determined individuals with something to prove because everything about “We Are The Lost Loves” defines excellence. The vocals, the instrumentals, the songwriting and the theatrical flair are all done really well. This may explain why they leaked the album a month in advance. Maybe not. Either way, there are no filler tracks or self indulgent diddling to be found here. All eleven cuts are captivating, even the minimalist intro and minute long “Dream Sequence” instrumental. All I can say is We Are The Lost Loves is one of the finest records of 2010. In my top 5 for sure. I know I’ve tended to exaggerate or get over excited about certain artists/records in the past but this album truly earns my esteem and affection.
