Single: Friends of Our Youth – Problem Is

The Manchester and Todmorden-based outfit have been busy since the release of their November 2022 album That Was Then. The quartet is currently working on a new album after signing to AnalogueTrash earlier this year, and the first glimpse of the band’s sonic rebirth comes with new single Problem Is.

Friends of Our Youth are a Manchester-birthed four piece bringing transcendent sounds from a differently-shaped constellation where human problems have long coalesced into bright spheres of beauty and love.

On Problem Is, Friends of Our Youth rework the sound of That Was Then, as the yearning vocals and cascading guitar melody ripple over the insistent rhythm section. Indie with a strong No Wave theme, it signals that the band’s second album will maintain their track record of harnessing influences as diverse as PJ Harvey, Swans, The Strokes, Suicide, and Courtney Barnett into a fluid yet familiar and friendly sound.

Despite the warm tones of the arrangement and the light but driving nature of the melody, the song carries real emotional resonance for lead singer David. “Problems come and problems go, opinions come and opinions go,” says David. “Often, we’re servile to them, but they are often self-serving, ephemeral, and agenda driven. Problem Is is about trying to navigate and avoid that hailstorm of noise, to dig deeper than for a surface level victory that’s gone before it’s noticed.”

The song highlights these roadblocks to happiness, but also offers up a personal answer to dealing with them. “We question ourselves all the time. As human beings we’re often frustrated or disappointed and trying to attain something, what is it though? The song is partly it’s a note to self: ‘don’t listen, don’t worry.’ Think of it as a jovial threat to run away from the noise. Are we flawed? Yes, we are, but that’s where the beauty is. It’s what you do that really matters, not what you say you’ll do.” 

This press release discusses the latest single and is available on their Bandcamp page. The single is a great introduction to the band and is taken from their upcoming album, set to be released on the British cassette label AnalougeTrash, which we proudly stock in our small cassette shop in Bratislava. This new track has fully captured my attention. It reminds me a bit of The Strokes but with a delightful British twist, giving it a truly unique feel. I’ve been particularly drawn in by the fast-paced drums, catchy guitar riffs, and overall energy that easily captures your attention. I’ve been listening to it on repeat to fully immerse myself in the melody and to evoke some delightful nostalgia for ’00s indie rock.

Written by Filip Zemcik