Young Adults “Black Hole” LP

"Black Hole" is the first full-length outing from Young Adults (compliments of AMDISCS), and this LP went on one of my "best of 2010" lists before I even got around to covering it here. I absolutely loved their demo when I wrote about it early last year, and "Black Hole" contains re-recorded versions of all five tracks from the demo alongside five new songs, two instrumental interludes, and a cover of the Wipers' "Over the Edge". When I last spoke of Young Adults I loosely described their sound as "a fusion of slightly new wave-ish punk, indie rock, and 'shoegaze'", and while there's definitely more to it than that, I'm not the most experienced listener with regard to such styles, so... that analysis still stands. It all boils down to super catchy songwriting that combines high-energy bursts with slower, plodding rhythms that take on a much moodier atmosphere. And much like the demo, the recording is absolutely drowning in a gritty haze of raw distortion and effects that play a huge role in defining the band's character. They really make use of some unusually rugged tones and mixing techniques, but the over-the-top approach works perfectly in the end. I always feel like I should have so much more to say, and especially since this was one of of my favorite releases of 2010, but... the music will do a better job than I ever will. You can stream the entire album below (via Bandcamp). My personal favorites are "Impression", "Life Under Review", and "Annulation" (tracks 6, 8, and 9):

Copies of the physical LP (which also looks to have some awesome artwork, by the way) include digital downloads, or you can just grab the material digitally right off the bat...

Get It

AMDISCS (LP)
Bandcamp (mp3)
iTunes (mp3)