Don’t let the name fool you, Young Jesus is far from gospel music. Young Jesus is a Chicago-based quartet that classifies their stuff as “Party-Angst Indie.” The group consists of vocalist John Rossiter, bassist Shawn Nystrand, guitarist Cody Kellogg, and drummer Peter Martin. Home is the full-length debut for these Windy City rockers.
“Family And Friends,” the first cut off the disc, starts you off with a calm reassurance. Rossiter’s great chops remind the listener that everything is going to be okay. As the tempo picks up, his tone seamlessly changes from one of peace and calming to one of pure agony, best comparable to The Doors’ Jim Morrison and Against Me’s Tom Gabel. This track really sets the table for what’s to come.
“David” follows up as the story of the downfall of a man named David, plagued by sickness. The song concludes with an introspective look into the change in the narrator and David’s relationship. Despite its somber story, the song is definitely a foot tapper. Next comes “Fallin’ For You,” in which Rossiter flaunts a voice that seems aged beyond his years. Overall, it’s another fun track.
“News” was probably my favorite song off the record. It features the best solos on the disc and every aspect meshes perfectly. On the other end of the spectrum, “Not Quite Dead” just dragged on. The seven-minute song was half noise. Not like bad music noise, literally, just noise, which angered me because otherwise, it’s a really good track.
The title track, “Home,” closed out the disc on the same note it started on—calm, simple and beautiful. The whole record was a lot of fun, and I found myself involuntarily tapping my foot and bobbing my head pretty much the entire time. I sure hope these guys get a label soon.
In A Word: Raw
