Year to Live

INDIE FOLK POP

Here’s a new trio from the Seattle area. Their website says they released a debut EP in February 2023 then another in November. This “deluxe” edition contains all the tracks from both EPs plus 4 radio edits. (When does an extended EP become a full-length?) Most vocals are male lead, female harmony. The instruments are uke, charango (an Andean lute), banjo, keys, bass, & percussion. The tunes are all pretty catchy.

FCC issues in tracks 3, 5, 7, 9

1 * “North” mid-fast. male lead vox. very peppy sound but there’s anxiety in the lyric (4:36)
2 * “Call Me Over” mid-fast. good mix of synth, bass & banjo; lyrics a booty call (3:16)
3 – FCC (“fuck”) #4 is the radio edit
4 “High Tide” slow. It’s a catchy tune but FCC is still very discernable (I’d skip it) (3:35)
5 – FCC (“I have a lot of shit to do”) #6 is the radio edit
6 “Year to Live '' slow. somewhat melancholy & pensive; dreamy music & b’gnd vox (5:05)
7 – FCC (“fuck with”) #8 is the radio edit
8 * “Second Cities” mid-tempo. easy, swaying tune, pleasant sounding. lyrics are obscure but seem full of ennui. The FCC is not just snipped but sung differently (3:36)
9 – FCC (“fuck”) #10 is the radio edit
10 ** “Jealous Neighbor” mid-tempo. bouncy rhythm w hand claps, pushed along by a strong chord progression on synth; falsetto lead vocal is quite good (3:59)
11 “Western Front” mid-tempo. alternating spare & lush passages. too pop for me (4:12)
12 “Tune You Out” xx (3:46)
13 ** The Wolf” mid-tempo. kinda folkish ballad. nice finger picked acoustic (uke? charango? idk) accompaniment plus other intriguing instrumentation (4:29)