August 03, 2004

Young Tradition "California Morning"

Though I gave this little record a Single of the Week last year, this review was lost in the switchover, and after spending a great deal of time being wowed by The Fairways record, I just felt it necessary to go back to this record and let you know about it. Brent Kenji is all about the (soft) rock, and I've got no problems with that. It's obvious that the ideas that were forming in his head for the last Fairways record are still in his mind. "California Morning" has that California jingle-jangle a la the Byrds, but it also has that Australian jangle akin to the Lucksmiths, and I really dig the Latin-sounding trumpets. "All Up To Me" sounds like a long-lost Association demo, and that's perfectly fine with me. The last cut, "Isolation," is a Poundsign cover, but Kenji brings his own sadness to the table, quickly making it a song all his own. Oh, and this record is an international postal collaboration between Kenji and a Swedish musician, Erik Hanspers. I said it then, and I especially say it now--I cannot wait to hear more from these two!!!

--Joseph Kyle

Artist Website: http://www.indiepages.com/matinee/artists/youngtradition.html
Label Website: http://www.indiepages.com/matinee

No comments: