History
Welcome back To Independent Closet where we give the lesser-known artists a chance to shine. This week we're going to take a look at a Pennsylvania born trio going under the guise, TWICEYOUNG whom are a new up-and-coming act yearning for a chance to prove themselves. And prove themselves they did by originating the album Little Mind Alike in Harrisburg, PA with members Tyler Laspopoulos (lead vocals/guitar), Seth Lourdon (bass), and Zach Myers (drums). After finishing their first album they decided to expand their musical pool by moving to Nashville, TN where they currently reside. It's been a long time coming for the band to have a full lineup and release an album so let's explore Little Mind Alike.Album "Review"
The album Little Mind Alike lets you know from the start what you are getting into, which is an ambient clash of indie, alternative, and a splash of classic rock. The best interpretation of the first song "Half Dust" is a song akin to Radiohead-esque vocals mixed with the instrumentation of a solemn Brand New single. The song does a great job showcasing the talents of guitarist/vocalist Tyler Laspopoulos, alternating between a somber vocal tone and airy falsetto with ease, a switch that is used frequently throughout the album. All in all it is a GOOD start to the album, allowing for just enough of a taste to wet our appetites for what is to come.
The next two songs entitled "Oceans" and "Acacia" are the perfect back-to-back pairing on the album growing on the ideas "Half Dust" started and running with them. Both songs have been released as singles with the latter (Acacia) having it's own very artistic music video I suggest checking out. The main sounds in "Oceans" are the largely-encompassing piano, sizzling strings/synthesizer, and dynamic drum work which allows the listener to truly hear the skill of Zach Myers as he switches from a heavy emphasis on the snare to booming bass in the matter of a verse/chorus length. This song is by far my favorite track on the album followed closely behind by the next official single.
"Acacia" is just a beautiful song. From the swelling piano and bells opening to the drum/piano outro it just capitalizes on what make this album so great. The song starts slowly (like a good majority of these) with only the piano, vocals, and a very impressive set of back-up vocals painting a vast landscape one can see when one close their eyes. From there the guitar swells in and it is time for this to start building to the pinnacle that is it's chorus which is well worth the wait. The chorus is a mix of vocals overdubs, piano chords, guitar slides, thundering bass, and quite the impressive drum beat that really finds itself incredibly engrossing/powerful despite the lack of dynamic change. This is another point of TWICEYOUNG that is impressive, the majority of their vocals do not change in terms of volume. Which Mr. Laspopoulos deserves a good bit of credit for not defaulting to a standard most singers rely on heavily which is screaming their lungs out. He has a way of conveying all of his emotions; the happiness, sadness, disappointment, and anger all by utilizing the instrumentation himself, Zach Myers, and Seth Lourdon throw onto the page, separating TWICEYOUNG from their contemporaries.
Linked the video for you. Go ahead... CLICK IT
The least impressive song on the album would have to be "Slow Down" which sadly follows both "Oceans" and "Acacia" and succumbs under the weight produced by the two heavy hitters. That's not to say it is a "bad" song in the slightest, I actually rather like the song but, it's here where first time listeners will notice the biggest problem on this album. Artistically Mr. Laspopoulos puts a good bit of reverb on his vocals which makes them sound very big and ambient but every once in a while his actually words are lost in translation because of this effect. I had to listen to songs such as "We Knew Her at Once" and "Slow Down" multiple times to fully understand the exact lyrics, which is true of most artists so it's not a complete loss, just a warning for listeners. That being said, "Slow Down" is probably the most vulnerable song on the album really only consisting of acoustic guitar, vocals, claps, and stomps which minimalistic approach helps it but as stated brings things down a few notches after the prior hits.The last song I'd like to talk about is "Way Down" which at times sounds like a completely different band from it's intro echoing that of a slowed down Theory of A Deadman song and very clear vocals. Does this hurt the song? Not in the slightest, if anything it's nice to hear Mr. Laspopoulos' clear vocals really pierce through the soundscape and if anything should be done more in the future. The bass grooves a long which a great line that aligns perfectly with the drums before everyone picking up the pace to punch out an awesome chorus. The chorus (and subsequent bridge) on this song sound like a song just itching to be blasting from radio station to radio station across the U.S.
Great Song and great video!!!
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