Concert Review: Young The Giant at The Paradise in Boston, MA

Young The Giant
The Paradise
Boston, MA
September 1, 2010

Rating:  

Reviewed by:  Sally Feller
Live Photos by:  Joe Harrington

Young the Giant, (formerly under the name The Jakes), is Sameer Gadhia, Payam Doostzadeh, Jacob Tilley, Francois Comtois, and Eric Cannata. While they sound like a group from the UN, they’re actually all from Newport Beach, California and have been playing together a number of years, through high school and beyond. After getting heavy airplay from KROQ with “Cough Syrup” from their EP Shake My Hand, Young the Giant toured with Minus the Bear, Steel Train, Ghostland Observatory, The Whigs, Kings of Leon, and, currently, with Marina and the Diamonds. They also got the chance to showcase at SXSW, lucky boys.

These kids can rock. Despite the fact that they’re all 21 or under, Young the Giant has the magnetism to pull in an audience. The guys work well together and you can get a pretty quick sense that they’ve been together for awhile. Their passion and energy infuse their performance and surely will gain them even more fans on this current tour (check dates here to see them in your town!). In the meantime, you can download for FREE “I Got” here and, my current favorite, “My Body” here.

“I Got” really sinks its feet into the Pacific sand with a sort of waltz-y rhythm set and a chorus with a bit of a Beach Boys harmony going on. The vocals are clean and smooth, a bit jazzy, and spiced up with a little rocker edged smokiness.

Their newest single “My Body” starts off with driving beats and just keeps chugging along until the end, with lyrics that seem to fit that sensation beautifully “…but I won’t quit, ‘cause I want more.” I hear a little bit of Cold War Kids and Vampire Weekend in there, but these guys stand alone and bring their own sound to the forefront. I’m really looking forward to watching their growth over the years as they go into their 20s and beyond—“cause I want more.”

Overall, Young the Giant’s sound is decidedly West Coastian—it’s chill, laidback, but still harbors some unexpected energy and power right when the song needs the boost. The songs are catchy, vibrant, and tight, making the band sound far more mature than their years. They’ve got a new full-length, self-titled album due out October 26th that you all need to get your grubby, music-hungry hands on, ASAP.

##

View live photos from the band’s performance taken by Joe Harrington:

More Young the Giant:
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter