Reasons To Dream
Whenyoung
Release date: 24 May 2019
Label: Virgin EMI
Reasons To Dream is a magnificent debut that gives you endless reasons to do just what it says on the cover – dream. 9/10
Ever since I first set eyes and ears on Whenyoung they’ve been a band to believe in. Their songs reasonate with you. They’re believeable – in the sense they’re real people writing and performing songs about real life, not manufactured people writing songs about manufactured lives.
Their debut album Reasons To Dream grants you a platform and ideas to do just what it says on the cover – dream. It really connects with you and is a joy to behold.
It’s an outstandingly assured debut that sounds as massive, fit for the stages they’re destined for. Aoife Power, Niall Burns and Andrew Flood you’ve created something quite beautiful.
Pretty Pure kicks off the journey and has been reborn – from 2018 – for this record. It’s always been one of Whenyoung’s gems – both live and recorded – but this album version purrs just a little louder. Lovely.
The Others is a masterpiece. An earworms’ earworm. Punchy, infectious and big stage ready. Written in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy, it holds the same passionate urgency and emotive edge as it does live, not easy to do on a recording, but done beautifully here.
You’re Grand is the first of the total newbies and grabs you from the get go with a gem of a lead riff and won’t let go, nor do you want it too.
A song that’s become a real fan favourite across their live shows in the run up to this release – Blank Walls – holds the middle-to-end section up strongly. A real blast of vivacious energy and again extremely catchy.
The likes of Never Let Go and Future bring a sort of 2000s new wave indie disco vibe to proceedings, whilst In My Dreams is sure to go under the radar at No.9 but may just be the pick of the bunch. It’s got everything; lush guitar lines, throbbing bass, perfect drums, another irresistable chorus and arguably Aoife Power’s most captivating vocal on the record. Magnificent.
Reasons To Dream is all killer, no filler. Everything belongs. It’s really refreshing to see a new band deliver a debut album true to their soul. It’s extremely well written, exceptionally produced and expertly delivered. This album is without doubt eleven reasons for Whenyoung to dream big.
A magnificent debut from a band with not only a big future but an extremely exciting present.
Reasons To Dream is out May 24 on Virgin EMI.
