New Power Pop Discovery: Young Rival - Stay Young

Young Rival is a Canadian (Hamilton, Ontario-based) band playing some extremely catchy, but at the same time fairly edgy, guitar rock. I categorize it as power pop, and that's the easiest genre to identify it with, but the stuff really has a different feel to it, in the same way The Strokes and The Raconteurs do. It's guitar pop and enjoyable for all the reasons guitar pop is, but with some edges and angles thrown in for fun.

The first song, "Black Popcorn" is a perfect example - a punked-up take on Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" backbeat with what turns into a very jangly guitar line, and finally some harmony vocals take it all home.

The catchiest song on the record is "Give Me Two Reasons" - channeling Fountains of Wayne, Eric Carmen and old Beatles 45's to make an irresistible little song (and a freaking hilarious video):



Have they got your attention? Here is "Nothing You Know Well":



Also, a free download of that one is available:

 



And, finally, "Black Is Good"... maybe you will understand why I'm coming up with The Strokes as a touchpoint:



The band consists of Aron D'Alesio on vocals and guitar, Noah Fralick on drums and John Smith on bass, and they make no pretense about their love of British Invasion pop... and they even get a little psychedelic here and there, so I'll go ahead and invoke the Zombies too.

This is a terrific record which has grown on me each time I have listened - catchy from the first time I listened, but revealing itself as more than just a retro garage revival record... Sort of along the lines of Nick Waterhouse and The Allah-La's, a band that is taking great influences and making them its own.

Read more at the Young Rival website.