The Youngs

"It's all downhill from here," Eryn Young declaims on "The Last Migration," and the band makes good on its threat with a sinister disc overflowing with bleak melodies and an atmosphere fueled by an unlikely mix of electronica and Americana. This husband-and-wife team occupies a space somewhere between the Handsome...

By J. Poet

January 6, 2005

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

"It's all downhill from here," Eryn Young declaims on "The Last Migration," and the band makes good on its threat with a sinister disc overflowing with bleak melodies and an atmosphere fueled by an unlikely mix of electronica and Americana. This husband-and-wife team occupies a space somewhere between the Handsome Family and Tom Waits, punctuating simple, folky airs with Tim Young's experimental electric guitar digressions and jittery percussion loops. The couple harmonizes on "The Industrial Way," a nightmarish road song that catalogues the bleak landscape of a decaying city, while "Pride and Shame" inspects the chasm between the love we want and the love we settle for with a variety of musical and lyrical styles, from free jazz to straight-ahead rock. The Youngs aren't everybody's cup of hemlock, but if you get your kicks on the dark side, you might want to hitch a ride in their eccentric jalopy.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.