Chad Valley’s smooth, romantic electro pop engulfs the listener from the start of Young Hunger. By the time “I Owe You This” ends, it’s hard to keep from salivating as Valley blends sugary synths with heartfelt vocals. Although the disc has a very strong love theme, it’s still a pleasant and not terribly sappy listen to get through. The major problem with the album is that despite it devouring and demanding attention, it’s more in a zoned out way. The mellow avant-garde pop CD doesn’t switch gears too often, though some rare exceptions thrown in. “My Girl” adds an island vibe into the mix and satisfies the need for something a little more striking on the chill release. The vocals by Jack Goldstein and bongo-like electric drum sounds really spice up the track.
Valley shows that his hunger has a sultry and lustrous complex with the swanky, sleek and sexified “Evening Surrender.” Starting out on the slow track, Valley picks up the tempo just a bit during the chorus with a haunting wind section to accompany it. An interlude follows the moody piece with upscale keys, which seem to be on a continuous loop during the song. The final cut, “Manimals” features Active Child on the track and leaves Young Hunger feeling almost incomplete with a dash of being unfulfilled for seasoning. The build up to where the track hits its prime isn’t anything special, leaving the so to speak grand finale a bit less than dazzling. For what it’s worth, Young Hunger is an eclectic, inconsistent (but in the good way) album that deserves a few listens before deciding where one stands with it.
In A Word: Different
