Girl at the Rock Shows

Back when I used to work at record shops, I would look forward to Tuesdays. It was a new release day, and I knew that when I got to work, there would be a slew of new music for me to check out. That was nearly twenty years ago at this point, and my excitement for Tuesdays is all but gone. It has been replaced with a love for all days because new music (singles and albums alike) is being released every dang day of the week. Case in point– Young Limb just dropped their latest album ‘Bandidos’ today! It’s a Wednesday with probably very little to celebrate, but let’s throw a little album release party as we dig into this ten-song CD.

Although the first song off of ‘Bandidos’ is titled “Basic,” it became instantly clear to me that Young Limb’s sound is anything but “Basic.” This catchy little opening number has an excellent blend of vintage 60s sensibilities, a slight DIY punk vibe, and an overall infectiously poppy presentation. The overall recording quality of this song is perfectly imperfect. It’s grainy and slightly fuzzy, but that lends to that almost psychedelic 60s sensibility that instantly caught me, and both had me hooked and surprised. Although this is only the first song, and we have nine to go on this album, it’s safe to assume that we will hear some very creative and intriguing things throughout this journey that is ‘Bandidos.’

“Handbrake” is the lead single off of this album, and it quickly became apparent why. Although you still have all of those elements mentioned above from “Basic” in this second song, there’s something a bit more grungy and commanding about this song. A slight darkness takes over the carefree energy I got from the opening song, but don’t be fooled; this is still an absolute bop. I really like the lyrics in this track, specifically the line, “Is it worth chasing?”. I won’t get super into the rest of the words because I feel like they are very open to interpretation, but I just really liked the delivery of this line in particular. There was something about it that was highlighted for me in an already fantastic track.

Whereas “Handbrake” had an almost serious message behind the lyrics, “Once a Cheetah, Always a Cheetah (Remaster)” seems to revert to the playful energy laid out in “Basic.” I love the doo-wops and that classic rock n’ roll feel that is a constant in this song, but I also like the lyrics. I’m pretty sure there’s some wordplay going on in this song, but because I really want you to check this band out for yourself, I’m not going to give it away. See if you can figure it out! I’ll be honest, it took me about two minutes into this two minute and forty-five second song that the lyrics may not be about the wild cat I thought they were.

Speaking of animals, let’s dig into “I Am a Bat,” the fourth track on this album. The way that the third track flows into this one is genius as the beat stays fairly steady along with that classic rock n’ roll vibe, yet these are clearly two different songs. I feel like this song shows a slight emphasis on the more DIY punk style that I felt in the opening track when compared to some of the previous songs. It’s still just as vintage and still perfectly fuzzy but there was just something a bit more modern about some of the composition here that I really liked.

I had a feeling that “In My Dreams” would be more of a ballad than anything purely based on the song title, and I was right. This slow and deliberate song is smoky and full of emotion, but the twist is that, although slower, this ballad-like song is done in a way that only Young Limb could do. Again, I want to mention the imperfect, perfect quality that I am getting from the recording of this album as a whole. I feel like that slight fuzz gives this song, in particular, a whole other layer that makes it so easy to get lost in this song. Add the circular motion that comes with the chorus here, and you are left with a genuinely mesmerizing song.

“In My Dreams” had me in a bit of a trance, but I was quickly jolted back to life by “At Your Door.” I love the way that this song is still more in that ballad-like category but that you also get a little more of that ’60s rock sound that was so prevalent in the first two tracks. “At Your Door” shows the genius balance that Young Limb has throughout this album but shows it in such a condensed manner that it’s impossible to ignore it.
As the song title may lead you to believe, “Let’s Dance” will have you grabbing hands with whoever is nearest to you, grabbing the closest cat, or just grabbing a pillow or blanket to dance around your space with. My mind instantly started to wander during this song to images of a 60s sock hop. I don’t know if that’s a real thing, but I think you know what I mean. It was all poodle skirts, thick-rimmed glasses, and white socks peeping out from black and white shiny shoes. Okay, I may have lost you, but this song, “Let’s Dance,” will make you want to dance while transporting you back to a completely different era.

The vocals were the first thing that grabbed me when it came to the eighth track on this album, “Nightgown.” Although they haven’t changed over the course of this album, something about them in this song, in particular, just fascinated me. They very much have a Beach Boys quality to them, but, at the same time, there’s something fresh and almost Weezer-esque to them. Okay, you can go ahead and call me crazy for that comparison, but I implore you to try to think of a better way to describe them.

I feel like “Proximity” is the first time I hear Young Limb trying for something a bit more mainstream, but even with that being said, this second-to-last song is far from standard. There’s just more of a modern alt-rock vibe to this song that I like a lot, but I hate that it took me so long to hear this element in ‘Bandidos’ overall. Maybe it was always there, and I was just so fixated on the more vintage sounds I was picking up on, or this is a brand new element being introduced on the second-to-last song. Regardless, I like how this song is a bit slow-moving yet still hits you with an undeniable sense of energy and passion. I also really like this twist and hope that there is more of this style from Young Limb out there and/or more to come!

‘Bandidos’ closes out with “King of the Shore.” This is a perfect ending to this journey due to the boppy nature and the way that this song leaves you with a smile on your face, a pep in your step, and a nod in your head (in a good way). Although this is a super fun song, it isn’t tense or aggressive like I low-key wanted. Personally, I wanted this album to go out with a bang. I mean, the band surprised me with that more alt-rock vibe in “Proximity” so why not end the album with a ginormous finale? But, at the same time, I like how “King of the Shore” seemed to bring ‘Bandidos’ full circle back to that unique sound that can only be called “Young Limb”.

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