Album Review: Whenyoung - 'Paragon Songs'
Whenyoung build on the success of their first studio album with the release of the greatly anticipated ‘Paragon Songs’.
The brilliant duo of Aoife Power and Andrew Flood returns with the outfit’s sophomore record. Following up ‘Reasons to Dream’ was no easy feat, yet Whenyoung seemed to have topped it tenfold, with the new album tapping into their darker, electronic side.
The singles released ahead of the record were certainly some of the most notable from the album. ‘Rubik’s Cube’ being one that will have undoubtedly had fans eager with anticipation to hear the rest of Whenyoung’s new work. The track is undeniable in its power and ability to capture a listener’s attention. It dives straight into what the duo have been working on since their debut LP.
Another track which preceded the release of ‘Paragon Songs’ was ‘Shame Train’, the single that has gone on to open Whenyoung’s latest record. A decision the outfit will have thought long and hard about, I’m sure, and it seems to have been the perfect one. The track is the perfect reintroduction to Whenyoung: progressively intense drum beats bring in the vocals of Power and suddenly we are fully immersed in the work of the group. It’s one that I’m sure will be a hit amongst live audiences as it has everything you could want from a track: beating drums and strong lyrics, building up to a huge let off in its choruses. The track boasts the talent of Whenyoung, and it demonstrates their ability to master tracks with darker feels, as we have experienced a great number of upbeat and uber-indie numbers in the past from the duo. ‘Shame Train’ kicks off the sophomore record in perfect fashion.
The group continue to demonstrate their vast talents throughout the rest of the record, with a real dominance of electronic sounds which give the album a serious feel of power and confidence. ‘Paragon Songs’ really oozes quality and confidence. ‘The Laundress’ in particular revolves heavily around these big electronic sounds and the track really feels to be full of power.
The group have stated that the new record is an exploratory journey through the dark depths of self-criticism […] It’s a self-help and rite of passage album. These themes are abundantly present in the entirety of the record. The darkness mentioned possibly being the most poignant feature of ‘Paragon Songs’.
The pair set off on a UK/IRE tour in April, and it’s certainly going to be a headache when picking a setlist. Whenyoung have an impressive back-catalogue to pick from, as well as a strong number of singles from the new record, including ‘A Little Piece of Heaven’, ‘Unchained’ and ‘The Laundress’. Adding to these huge tracks are those which are unheard and are due for release with the album. Among these are some tracks which fans are going to eat up.
One of these is the brilliant ‘Even More’ which is found in the latter end of ‘Paragon Songs’. It’s a commanding number, once again with a real emphasis on driving drums throughout. The reverberating vocals are unmissable and the track once again feels so very powerful. It’s truly a brilliantly worked track. It builds up such suspense through the slowed drums in the verses, giving almost all emphasis to Power’s words. This is then followed by the hugely climactic drums in the choruses. When performed live, this track could be huge.
As the record closes out, the duo show no signs of letting up in terms of track quality. Those at the rear of the record are just as attention-retaining as those which open the sophomore record. In particular, the closing track ‘Gan Ainm’.
The final number perfectly demonstrates what Power and Flood can do, its musical arrangement tees up an unmissable vocal performance, which is just as powerful as any that you’ll hear today. It’s the perfect end to ‘Paragon Songs’, and it’s sure to be a fan-favourite. It seems inevitable that the lyrics of this one will really resonate with fans as they get hold of the duo’s latest release. The track in itself feels less dark and more hopeful, which is the perfect ending to the album. Considering it’s about self-reflection ETC, ‘Gan Ainm’ may offer listeners hope in its upbeat and optimistic tone.
‘Paragon Songs’ is a brilliant record, and it’s a body of work that Whenyoung should be proud of. Their upcoming tour is sure to be equally as brilliant, as fans will immediately love the duo’s latest album!
Words by Matthew Caslin
