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Yukon Blonde – Vindicator

Florian Buechting Media Review No Comments

Yukon Blonde - Vindicator

Yukon Blonde - Vindicator
4

Rating

 4.0/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very interesting and characteristic unique sound
  • Straight band / album concept, very well done musically

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Sometimes a bit too much distortion / eleemnts to me

Indie rock made in British Columbia – Yukon Blonde are part of the Canadian music scene for 15 years already and did frequent releases during their band history. Their 2020 album Vindicator has been written in their practice room in East Vancouver, in a hut on Galiano Island. The album will be released on 13th November 2020.

 

Yukon Blonde – About The Artists

Yukon Blonde is a Canadian indie rock band. Founded in 2005 in Kelowna, British Columbia, the band has originally been named Alphababy, as which they already published two EPs, before the EP Everything in Everyway was the first release of the band as Yukon Blonde in 2009. Currently, the band has five members: Jeff Innes, who is also the main contributor in regards of songwriting, is the lead singer and plays guitar. Brandon Scott is at the guitar, Graham Jones does the drums, James Younger is the bass player and Rebecca Gray adds keyboard and synth. They had two big songs in Canada: the 2012 Stairway peaked 12th in the Canadian Alternatives, while the 2015 Saturday Night also just barely missed the Top 10. Vindicator is the fifth album by the band, who also released four EPs so far.

 

Yukon Blonde – Vindicator – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 40 minutes.

1. It’s What You Are

Strong keyboard and synthi sounds in the background, a present rhythm and quite some echo in the sound of It’s What You Are – this Yukon Blonde album starts in a very modern way. A touch of traveling into a new world – mystical, but indeed promising.

2. Fickle Feelings

Fickle Feelings is just what you would expect of a good indie rock song: using traditional rock music elements like drums, electric guitars and keyboard sounds – but arranging them in a way that they move away from mainstream (and still feel fascinating). Nice production.

3. YGTT

YGTT (“You got that thing”) is my favorite of the first three songs of the album. The chorus feels like a late 1970’s track, it could easily be a Bee Gees one (pop with a touch of soul and funk), but these sounds are moved to the world of the Vindicator album and create a new space, which still feels so well-known. Interesting experience.

4. You Were Mine

After a lot of distortions and variations of familiar-sounding elements, You Were Mine starts quite “traditional”, before it more and more adds electric elements to hand-made rock tunes. Either this kind of music is fascinating you – or you will feel it is dazing and upsetting. I like it and recommend: give it a try.

5. Play Along

Play Along so much feels like one of these big 1980’s hits – until the band adds one of their Yukon Blonde elements again and again. A comparably slow track, even more atmopsheric than most of the songs so far.

6. In Love Again

I told myself I would never write a
Another love song forever, but
Here I am in love again
I told my friends I would always end up
Alone again forever, but
Here I am in love again

Again, the song feels to be like a late 1980’s / early 1990’s ballad, on which the band has put additional tunes. You still feel and hear the melodies, which tend to be the “original” through the add-on. Very fascinating, because this leads to a strong melodic feeling when I listen to the song. Excellent musical works.

7. Good Times

I would say that Good Times is definitely one of my favorite tracks, even though it is very experimental with a lot of style changes in its middle part.

Alone every single night
But I dream of you
I was only looking to fight
At least I fight with you
I’m so sad and lonely
And you’re havin’ a good time
I’m so sad and lonely
And you’re havin’ a good time

At the end, it feels like a house dance tracks.

8. Fuck It

Fuck It is likely the track which makes me smile most on the album. When I talked about the “underlying” or “original song” and the “sound toppings” before – I would love to have this song as an original. Such a beautiful melody (lyrics are a matter of taste sometimes – but I feel there are moments in life where you just have to say I say fuck it, don’t you?). Cool indie rock / pop sound – and very catching as it is rather easy and repetitive.

9. Your Heart’s My Home

I got hopes, I got dreams
But they feel so incomplete
Without you my heart has got no home
We had plans, quit the band
I got no money in the bank
But it doesn’t mean a thing without your love

The combination of a song, which feels like lovely ballad in the best times of music, electric sounds and rock turns Your Heart’s My Home to one of the best songs of the album. Great listen!

10. Big Black Cloud

In general, I feel the finish of the Vindicator is really great – and so is the closing track of the album. The underlying sound of Big Black Cloud feels like an early melodic rock song, even has a touch of The Beatles to me. Nice finish.

 

Yukon Blonde – Vindicator – Spotify

Here is Vindicator on Spotify:

 

Yukon Blonde – Vindicator – My View

It takes some time to get used to the sound of Vindicator – but the more you get into the album, the more it feels fascinating – and after some confused feelings at the beginning, if (like for me) the album is your first contact with Yukon Blonde, I finally felt really sad that the album was already over after ten tracks. A very unique sound, which sometimes feels a bit too overwhelming, but is finally a great music production.

 

 

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