With a list of influences as long as the queue for an X-Factor audition, The Young Immortals are a three piece band hailing from Portland, Oregon.
Starting with an exuberant count in, "Dirty Angels" bursts forth with thrashy pop/punk guitar and I strap myself in for the ride! "The Fever" with its jaunty melody adds keyboard into the mix bringing extra colour and showing another dimension to the production. And it's got a guitar solo too! This one just happens to be short, sweet, to the point and fits the music like a glove - that makes for a happy Bluesbunny. "You" calms the pace slightly with a jangly chord introduction, before kicking the speakers across the room with a powerful overdriven guitar line. This soft verse, loud chorus approach works well, especially when the break down reverses this as Jacob Ray sings the chorus over the relatively gentle guitar refrain.
Things aren't all bluster and brash, however, as "King of Infinite Space" starts with a gentle sad lyrical refrain and has a brooding Muse like quality, and builds into a gut wrenching multi-layered guitar assault on the senses.
Jacob Ray's clear, sweet tones, which drift somewhere between Marc Bolan and Jeff Buckley, stand out in a mix which is never muddled despite the crashing drums of Scott Gervais, the right in your face guitars and the solid bass. The songs themselves are tight and well structured with enough light and shade in the music - an element so often overlooked - to keep the listener involved and looking forward with anticipation to the next tune.
Fun and enthusiastic, the Young Immortals should be on a radio near you soon (if there is any justice left in this world). Available from CD Baby.