Last week, Young The Giant – expertly made up of Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Francois Comtois (drums), and Payam Doostzadeh (bass) – surprised their fans with the official release of a song that has been a long time coming. The track, “Metropolis”, was written and recorded by Gadhia during Mind Over Matter‘s massive success. With 2024 marking the hit album’s first decade of existence, they brought this incredible, vulnerable song out of the vault.
The stripped-down track is beautifully and simply comprised of an acoustic guitar and Sameer’s voice. The video – by Guadalupe Bustos – shows frames of the recording process and the band in the studio together in a moody black and white mostly, with other B roll footage from the tour adding moments of pure joy to the visual. The song is paced like the lyrics, as it brings a sense of calm to the listener. Check out “Metropolis” below.
Mind Over Matter is being released as a 10th-anniversary edition. The exclusive deluxe version comes in clear smoke vinyl and includes a 12-page booklet, fold-out poster, and an exclusive slipcover — Pre-order / Pre-save. See all tour info here
Mind Over Matter (10th Anniversary Edition) Tracklist: “Slow Dive” “Anagram” “It’s About Time” “Crystallized” “Mind Over Matter” “Daydreamer” “Firelight” “Camera” “In My Home” “Eros” “Teachers” “Waves” “Paralysis” “Mind Over Matter (Demo)”* “Camera (Demo)”* “What You Get (Demo)”* “Metropolis (Acoustic)”*
It had, admittedly, been years since we had had the privilege of witnessing Young the Giant live and in person. Even as such, it was normally in a festival setting, so the set was a bit different than the headlining tours offered.
I have the honor of speaking to a couple who spoke about how they have followed Young the Giant on tour, witnessing their growth as they travel and experience different landscapes alongside their favorite band. As worrisome as a follower might otherwise seem, this couple seemed genuinely inspired by the music, and were truly living their best lives in love.
And if I didn’t understand the allure of Young the Giant before, I certainly do now. The colorful set was full of some of the most incredible textures, patterns, and colors you have ever seen on stage. Fringe surrounded a disco ball, warm and cool colors collided in carefully curated layers to bring the music to life in a way I have never seen – nor felt – before. Instant goosebumps were felt, and maintained throughout the set while memories associated with deep cuts flooded my mind.
Smoke danced around us – hence the “smoke show” – and magic filled the air. The crowd absolutely erupted when “Something to Believe in” began, and continued at that heightened energy throughout “Cough Syrup”. And that was just four tracks into their 17-track lap around the city. (From the confines of the Starlight Theater stage, of course.) The gorgeous instrumentals and beautifully woven lyrics that we have come to expect from this band continued into the night, on one of the most unseasonably cool evenings Kansas City has had yet to see this year.
SETLIST American Bollywood Wake Up Something to Believe In Cough Syrup The Walk Home I Got Nothing’s Over Dollar $tore Cult of Personality Heat of the Summer Dancing In The Rain Mind Over Matter Firelight Superposition Tightrope Silvertongue My Body
Having become a household name due to their unique sound and incredible live performance tactics, it is no surprise that the release of Young The Giant‘s new album Mirror Master was met with great excitement in the music community. The Los Angeles quintet – comprised of Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar/vocals), Payam Doostzadeh (bass), and Francois Comtois (drums/vocals) – has created 12 gorgeous tracks that will keep your ears perked and begging for more from the very first light, voluptuous lines of “Superposition”. Through the heavy guitar of “Simplify”, to the smooth sounds of “Call Me Back”, to the end of “Heat of the Summer” – which, to its credit, gives off that nostalgic, balmy summer vibe – Young The Giant has taken this opportunity to take you on a true audio adventure through genres, pulling inspiration from many soundscapes.
While “Oblivion” boasts a slight theatrical tinge to its rock roots, “Darkest Shade of Blue” slows everything down to a haunting, poetic crawl before picking up exponentially throughout “Brother’s Keeper”. “Glory” gives off a soulful vibe, a warmth not particularly noticed in its predecessors, as both “Tightrope” and “Panoramic Girl” re-introduce the head bobbing tempo we’re so fond of from this particular act. “You + I” has a glittery feel to it – perhaps most notable in the simplistic, puppy love-like lyrics – and the title track rounds out the collection with the most layered, danceable feel to the entire album.
There were warnings of storms looming all day on Saturday, July 1st in Kansas City, Missouri. At any moment, a pop-up shower could leave any part of the metropolitan area drenched. And it did. Multiple times.
But not that night.
Not that evening when German rock band – and Midwest fav – Milky Chance opened for Young The Giant at the gorgeous Starlight Theatre. They dazzled the crowd with eye-catching style, serotonin-boosting tunes, and envious hair (according to pretty much everyone there). Here are some beautiful moments from the opening of the show.
Today, we sit down with Ken Kurson from The Lilacs, a Chicago rock band formed in 1990. With their first album release in more than 25 years together, it’s safe to say we had a few questions. Our time together delves into musical influences, live performance, and – of course – unexplainable phenomena.
For fans of: Young the Giant, COIN, St. Motel, Phoenix, The Wombats
On their newest single “Rhythm & Gold”, Paper Lions shows off some of their finest indie-pop skills: that ability to implant a radiant summer’s day right into your speakers. With a thumping bass line that’s sure to increase your heart rate, the Canadian four-piece tell a tale of the electricity of falling in love with playing music – as well as dealing with the trials and tribulations that come with life as a touring band. The song’s unblemished cheeriness never falters, as call-and-response vocals and upbeat hand-claps encourage the listener to join in with every beat of the chorus.
“Rhythm & Gold” not only supplies the glitteriest aspects of indie pop sweetness, it also gives some insight to the group’s journey in working together to make it in the music world. Vocalist John MacPhee reaches out to his bandmates with reassurance in the resounding chorus: “This is where I wanna stay, where we started loving rock and roll,” referencing their roots that trace back to the early 2000’s. Originally formed in 2004 under the Chucky Danger Band, the quartet (brothers John MacPhee and Rob MacPhee, Colin Buchanan and David Cyrus MacDonald) began going as Paper Lions officially in 2008. They have since been nominated for 8 music awards, and won an Independent Music Award for their 2012 EP At Long Creek. Aside from a Christmas tune titled “Where Is My Love For Christmas”, this new track is the band’s first release since their most recently debuted album, titled At Long Creek II (2018). Here’s to a summer full of “Rhythm & Gold”!
This past weekend was absolute insanity at the heat-fueled annual Boulevardia Beer, Food & Music Festival in Kansas City, Missouri. Though the latter part of Day 2 did, unfortunately, get rained out — gotta love that unpredictable midwest weather — what did transpire on the blacktop outside HyVee Arena (Kemper Arena) was absolute magic. Photographer Ashleigh Lee brings us highlights, including sets from Fitz & The Tantrums, Young The Giant, Lovelytheband, and more.
“Torn Up” by Denny White effortlessly marries R&B vibes with futuristic synthesized beats. The layered textures of “Torn Up” instantly created an urge within me to move; without question I began nodding my head and swaying along to the uplifting sound.
White has worked with a plethora of notable artists including touring with Young The Giant, collaborating with OneRepublic’s Brent Kutzle, and penning songs for The Fray with Julia Michaels, Lukas Graham and Tiesto.
White’s warm, soulful, pop vocals coated over a smooth synth and drum mix draw listeners into the lyrics of the song which almost contradict the upbeat melody, adding an extra layer of complexity. This song flawlessly creates a bridge between yearning, anticipation, and hope.
“Torn Up” embodies a sense of vulnerability while effortlessly generating an infectiously catchy tune that grooves hard and gives any listener facing uncertainty feelings of promise and assurance.
Did we ever think we would address a Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy as an “adventure rom-com?” The answer is, indeed, no. But after watching her latest – an incredibly ludicrous but equally entertaining wedding comedy set in the Phillippines – it seems like that is the best way to describe this action-packed film.
While the idea of a JLo rom-com feels frilly and predictable, the only frills you will find in the new Amazon Prime film Shotgun Wedding would be in the layers of her dress. And only after she rips it into shreds to escape and defeat pirates.
Yup. It’s kind of like that.
So, what makes this film more entertaining than other new releases? Why should you give it the time of day at all? Here are three reasons to indulge in the ridiculousness that is Shotgun Wedding.
Cheech Marin is a Zaddy
Yup. You read that right. The storied Cheech Marin plays Robert, Darcy’s (Lopez) wealthy father. He shows up to her wedding, not only as the lost one true love of her mourning mother Renata (Sōnia Braga) but arm-in-arm with his yoga instructor girlfriend Harriet (D’Arcy Carden), who is decades younger and hiding a few surprises up her sleeves.
Lenny Kravitz Wears Pearls
Lenny Kravitz makes his way into the fold as Sean Hawkins, Darcy’s sexy, alluring ex who works for her father. The kicker? The man shows up in a helicopter after a pity invite, blindsiding the happy couple having never RSVP’d to the wedding. His presence throws more than a wrench into things, but his endless pearl necklace and unbuttoned shirt at the ceremony almost make up for it.
Jennifer Coolidge is a Badass Moonlighting as an Overbearing Mother
Jennifer Coolidge has been on a magnificent acting streak as of late. It seems as though she appears in everything, and you won’t hear us complaining. The woman who made the “bend and snap” a reality now stars as the mother of the groom (Josh Duhamel), whose unappreciated, rusted cake knife gift to the couple may just come in handy when battling pirates on international soil. Her overbearingness is made up for in time, especially when it comes to her surprise ability to handle weaponry.
While we certainly don’t want to provide too many spoilers, we can say that this film took a drastically different course than we initially imagined. Plus, the behind-the-scenes experience for this all-star cast seems to have been an extremely fun and memorable time.
If you’re looking for a movie with romance, golf cart crashes, live grenades, giant diamond rings, and maybe an insane yoga instructor or scorned ex, Shotgun Wedding should be your next movie night go-to.
