Yeah You's - Looking Through You

by Lisa Torem

published: 6 / 10 / 2009

Label: Universal Music
Format: CD

Energetic, exuberant pop on harmonic debut album from British band, the Yeah You's

Review

The pop British group the Yeah You’s release their debut album ‘Looking Through You’, which opens with the lushly orchestrated ’15 Minutes’ which brings to life New York artist Andy Warhol’s vision that, “in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” The video for this traces the band's journey as they experience fame by busking, then performing in a venue, signing with a label and appearing on a talk show. But, even without the video, the bouncy, glorious harmonies and quickly escalating rhythms will effuse your mood ring with infectious hue. Their single version of ’15 Minutes’ reached number 36 on the UK’s singles charts and their current single ‘Getting Up With You’ matches its warmth, intensity and sincere hooks note for note. ‘Getting Up With You’ unravels the sheets with "Somedays you’re running for cover/things don’t go your way" and by mid-song you hear this verse, "Too late the boss is coming/late for the train/I lost my house keys" and the charming chorus of "How do you want to get out of bed this morning?/Feels much better knowing I’m getting up with you." The story lines throughout are clear and meaningful - skipping from light to poignant ballad to touches of electronica – one cut better than the next. For example, ‘If I Could’ has an amazing chord progression that embellishes tongue-twister lines like "If I could I would/but I just can’t stay the night" and confessional teasers like, "What was I thinking? - tell me/‘what was I drinking? - tell me." The rhythm modifies then with ‘Won’t Be Long’ which carries forth a spunky reggae-inflected clickety-clack and hints of falsetto alongside marvelously optimistic phrases such as, "It won’t be long ‘till we’re lying in the moonlight." ‘It’s Happening To Me’ is a wistful gorgeous ballad, "When I woke the world seemed beautiful,but then the birds sang out of tune/sun was stuck behind the moon/say it isn’t happening/say it’s only make believe/it always happens to someone else/now it’s happening to me." Charming lyrics cascade throughout this entire release. ’15 Minutes’ begins with "I’m staring at the same old crack in the same old wall" - which sets the stage brilliantly and then leads to, "I want my life back/ I’ll be back in 15 minutes/when I may be a super-star/I’ll get my life back/I want to jump the queue like the others do." This jewel is a crunchy cracker box of Bee Gees, Beatles and Beach Boy harmonies welded together with lovely hooks and well-positioned "Yeah, yeah, yeahs." The arraangement of ode to electronica ‘Ready To Love Again' reclaims classic ‘Who’ and commences with the chilling "Waking up to feel a heart so cold/no, I won’t be alone tonight/’cause I feel, I feel, I’m ready to love again." To that end, ‘If It All Runs Out’ is a pulsating eurythmic blip and bleep mobile. ‘If I’d Only Said Hello’ proves that the Yeah You’s can construct a finely, whittled ballad. "A stranger in the distance, another passerby" lies on the shoreline followed by the rocky coasting "There are days when you go with the flow/and I’m going crazy/I could have seen the girl behind the smile/if only for a while." The closer ‘Carry Me Home’ enthralls with a more gargantuan rush of rock-solid harmonies and up-front vocals. "One more runner in the human race/sorry if I step on your toe/ sorry, but there’s no where else to go," summarizes this theme. Singed with beautiful harmonies, a tapestry of textures and soaring spirit, the ‘Yeah You’s release, ‘Looking Through You’ will entertain you far better and longer than Warhol’s futuristic 15 minutes.

Track Listing:-

1 15 Minutes
2 Getting Up With You
3 If I Could
4 Won't Be Long
5 It's Happening To Me
6 Ready To Love Again
7 Clifftop
8 Dive In
9 If I'd Only Said Hello
10 If It All Runs Out
11 Carry Me Home