Young the Giant
Mind Over Matter
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Rock
On its sophomore album, Mind Over Matter, Young the Giant begins to drop its indie-pop aesthetic from its self-titled debut for a polished rock sound. While some of the pop overtones remain on songs like “Crystallized,” the band explores new styles from folk on “Firelig,” to electronic rock on “Eros.”
Distortion-heavy, rock ‘n’ roll guitar riffs give the album a grunge feel, while synthesizers create a clean pop effect. This juxtaposition of influences, along with lead singer Sameer Gadhia’s impressive vocal range, creates an album with a distinctive sound. The album’s lead single, “It’s About Time,” shows the band’s furthest growth in the rock genre. Layers of distorted guitar riffs pair perfectly with Gadhia’s vocals, who resorts to a near-yell, to keep up with the speed and intensity of the music.
Mind Over Matter showcases the band’s musical talent. Shifts in style, tone and pace happen from nearly song-to-song. The slow pace and ominous mood on “Camera” changes to a fast-paced, cheerful disposition on “In My Home.” These fluctuations show off each band member’s expertise.
But while the band’s skill is shown through these tempo and tone changes, it also takes away from the cohesiveness of the album. Young the Giant shows it’s capable of switching into new styles, however, a full immersion into a new genre would be better than just sticking their feet in the water.
Mind Over Matter shows Young the Giant breaking the mold of its first album and dabbling in multiple different styles. And even though the band didn’t distance itself completely from its debut sound, it mixes it nicely with its new self.
— Will Jackson
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