There are multiple artists with this name: 1) Austin four-piece the Young arrived in 2010 with their Mexican Summer debut, Voyagers of Legend, which was stuffed to the gills with psychedelics and stodgy riffage. At times, when the level of intensity reached a cracked breaking point, it felt like a worthy successor to Comets on Fire's Field Recordings From the Sun had finally arrived. Elsewhere, they were channeling the wind-tunnel howl of Hawkwind's "Silver Machine", the weather-beaten sweetness of Teenage Fanclub's Bandwagonesque, and the killer lo-fi guitar melodies of Guided by Voices at their peak. If those seem like lofty comparisons, it's because Voyagers of Legend exuded a confidence seldom felt by a band so, well, so young. On this follow-up record, the band's first since inking a deal with Matador, that boldness is retained and funneled into a cleaner, brighter take on the Young's sound. The psych-rock impulses have been dialed down and pushed into the background, making way for a stronger focus on classical songcraft. 2) The Young, formerly known as Rothko, is the songwriting and recording of Alex Wells. Assisted live by Joseph Everett, Sam Mcgarrigle, Steve Stonhold, Caitlin Stubbs, Eleanor Wells, Bella Spinks and more.
