Review Summary: The future looks bright for these kids from Steel City.
As things stand today, the music industry as a whole is in poor shape. Marketability has begun to trump talent. Trendy haircuts and irony seem to placate today’s media and record labels, leaving artists whom possess true talent, left in the cold. And perhaps more importantly, left to fade into the background, undiscovered.
In comes Lost Years, a soon to be pop-punk juggernaut, hailing from Gary, Indiana. Lost Years bring us their debut album This Year Brought Out The Worst In Me, and let me tell you, this is one not to miss.
The ten-track debut delivers in every facet. A real sense of maturity is found within the bands songwriting, which is quite a rarity from such a young band. The lyrics deal with the transition into adulthood and the struggle to make your life mean something. (“I’ll be dead by 23/cuz this life is already killing me”). It’s not all doom and gloom though. Themes of growing up and the nostalgia that comes along with it are also present on the album. (And we always danced to the records that we knew/ when my parents used to dance in my old living room”). The lyrics are delivered with conviction. Vocalist Ryan Davis does a great job staying within his range and not attempting to do more than he is capable of.
Its hard not to notice how well these songs are put together. Not only is the musicianship more than adequate, but the songs themselves are simply infectious. There is never a dull moment. Not a track to be skipped. Each of the ten tracks contains a chorus you can’t help but sing along to, swelling up to immeasurable heights. They have managed to tiptoe the line between heavy and melodic masterfully, holding a candle to established acts such as Against Me! and The Gaslight Anthem.
Lost Years have delivered one of the best albums of the year thus far. The soundtrack to my summer, not a week has gone by that I haven’t listened to this album since its release. Lost Years give me hope that there is still talent left to be discovered in today’s uninspired music scene. This is a group to be reckoned with. Just wait and see.
