Warm Soda – Young Reckless Hearts
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When a musician steps away from a well-followed act, it’s difficult to say where things will end up. But, in the case of ex-Bare Wires member, Matthew Melton, his move to form Warm Soda seems to be paying off immensely. The band’s first album, Someone for You was spot-on power-pop, and Young Reckless Hearts picks up where that album left off, smoothing out the edges towards perfection.
“Going in Circles” starts the album off, indicating that while the riffs still maintain their crunchy edge, they might be polished up just a bit. The track offers a smoother delivery than previous Warm Soda tunes, though it still has that powerful driving rhythm prompted by the pounding drums. Then you’ll move right into “Postcards,” which employs more of an angular guitar cut. Personally, I love the way that Melton moves in and out of different vocal ranges within this number. You can then push forward to the record’s title track, “Young Reckless Hearts,” featuring a guitar part that our parents would have happily air-strummed at their favorite arena-rock show. However, there’s still an intimacy with what Melton and his cohorts are crafting; there’s an inherent warmth to the way vocals are delivered and how the pieces all fit together.
Honestly, the greatest thing about listening to Young Reckless Hearts is that you’re not going to find a single track that you’ll want to skip over, even though we’re all guaranteed to find our own favorites. My last few rounds I’ve really been enjoying “When Your Eyes Meet Mine.” It has a call-and-response backing vocal that really adds some pop-sensibility (as if much more was needed) to the song; it also has Melton working with my favorite vocal inflection. “Things That We Said” is also another winner, in my book. If you jumped into the track just prior to the 1 minute mark, you’ll hear exactly why I love this tune; there’s this swirling pop sensation that’s crafted by multi-part vocal harmonizing backed by a twangy guitar sound. Just don’t think that the group can’t still deliver a killer punch amidst all this shimmering pop.
The closing tune, “Stranger to Me,” is one of the songs on the record that’s most reminiscent of the band’s earlier works. The sound of the guitars is much more forceful, providing a nice discordant ring through your speakers. You’ll also find it filled with lots of guitar solos allowing for the band to demonstrate some of their fine musicianship; it even includes a nice little jam session before pushing forward to wrap up the track with a final explosion of glittery garage goodness.
You’re going to find it hard to dismiss Warm Soda nowadays. There lives shows have garnered huge responses, and it seems like the hits from this group just keep on coming. Young Reckless Hearts is a record you’ll enjoy at full volume, making it perfect for your entrance into Spring…or you’ll just be glad these guys released another batch of kick ass songs. Either way, I’m happy.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/07-When-Your-Eyes-Meet-Mine.mp3]