Written by CHANELLE LESLIE
Every once in a while, I come across one of those obnoxious little kids that are saturated with so much talent that I decide I might as well give up on life now. Brazen Kids of York, the local trio of high-school indie rockers Ben Lim, Jack Alexander, and Andrew Begley, is one such blow to the self-esteems of us untalented twenty-somethings.
With their debut EP We Live Forever under their belt, they’ve already gathered the attention of radio stations on the other side of the world, and for good reason.
The six-track EP flows neatly from beginning to end, with strong tracks ‘We’re Young’ and ‘In Cold, In Mould’ being easy picks for fan favourites and new listeners alike. Production is strong for an amateur job, although there’s a world of difference between the mix of We Live Forever and a professionally produced album.
We Live Forever is surprisingly mature both lyrically and musically, and the influence of Born Ruffians and Foals is clear. Lead singer Ben Lim’s guitar work is reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club, full of energetic melodies laid over synth riffs.
Lim’s vocal style is of the love/hate variety: distinctive and impossibly cool, although probably borderline weird for those new to the genre. Personified, it might be an insouciant hipster with bad posture and an idiosyncratic swagger: either dreadfully annoying or disarmingly quirky. It’s hardly forgettable.
At the very least, Brazen Kids of York leaves an impression. If they keep playing around Adelaide, they’re sure to make a mark on the local music scene, and certainly have the potential to build a fan base around Australia. My eyes are peeled – and if the blogosphere is anything to go by, I’m not the only one.
We Live Forever can be downloaded for free from triplejunearthed.com/brazenkidsofyork.
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