ALBUM REVIEW: YOUNG ENGLISH “I HATE MY FRIENDS”

Hailing from of Orange County, NY, Young English started out when Chris (vocalist) drunkenly called Gorse (Bass), to say that they should start a punk band, a month later the writing began. Liking the music they came up with they knew they needed more band mates, so Gorse called upon former band mate Matt (Gutiar) and Barry (Drums) to make up the remaining components. Almost instantaneously the guys hit it off. ‘I Hate My Friends “was written over a 3 month span and was recorded with Alex Goot. This album gets a vinyl treatment and hits stores on December 6th, 2011 on a limited edition 7" through Panic Records.

‘Neighbors’ is about being young and trying to move on. The lyrics say it all, “Tore the neighborhood down, Screaming my lungs out, I'm never coming back/Goodnight, to hanging out in basements getting loaded, with all of the same kids. So swept up, in feeling alive/ How can you grow, when you can't move on? You can't move forward alone.”

‘Anchors’ is about feeling weighed down by someone or something. “I need to do this on my own. And where do you go, when you're broken and tired and you can't come home/Shaking all night, to loosen the wires, that kept me bound here at home.”

‘New England’ is one of the best songs on the record; it’s about reminiscing about old times and regrets, the lyrics, drums and guitars pull it all together in this amazing medley. The lyrics are what really got me sucked into this song “Smothered in the golden glow, of streets I haunt alone/The tangible truth, when I'm sworn on trial. You were young, reckless, lovely and wild. Too many times, well I've been down this road. Tattered and worn, but it never gets old.”

Yet another great song on the album, ‘I Knew You Once’ starts without any unnecessary delays and goes right into the honest lyrics we’ve been hearing throughout the album. “Under street lights you were something to believe in. Blurry eyed, but fuck it, I was living/ I’m weary on your mind. You're a sore sight, for these young eyes/ I found a new way, of making the same mistakes.”

The members of Young English grew up on the legendary bands Hot Rod Circuit, Saves The Day and the Get Up Kids. The influence of those bands and the proper amount of melody and drive is hard to miss when you listen to this first EP ‘I Hate My Friends.’

Best Tracks: ‘New England’and  ‘I Knew You Once’

Rating: 7/10