Release Date: Jan 21, 2012
If it were possible to purchase stock in a band, now would be the time to update the portfolio and grab a few shares of The Young Rapscallions. Since the release of their LP, Everything Vibrates, the quartet of Jonathan Sanders, Taylor Messersmith, Nick Chamian and kick-ass drummer Chris Mintz-Plasse have been hitting the pavement tirelessly, building a rabid fan base. In the process, the group has come a long way in the progression of its sound.
Building off of the best parts of Vibrates, It Is What It Is demonstrates growth by taking what worked and making it better. It Is What It Is picks up where songs such as “Frankenstein’s Daughter” left off, with Sanders calmly controlling the microphone over cryptic, but head nod-inducing backdrops.
“Shirker” sets the EP off with an aggressive start, with Chamian and Messersmith ushering in the listeners with a heavy riff where they are eventually joined by Mintz-Plasse, who crashes the party and wastes no time, going all out on the kit. Sanders confidently questions reality with a smooth vocal that would fit seamlessly in the heart of the early New York City punk scene, all brought together by an anthem-worthy ending.
“One Hard Push” slows things down a bit, showcasing the group’s versatility. It’s almost as if the group is shape-shifting its way through different eras of rock without ever becoming unrecognizable as themselves. “Quit Milling About” keeps things on that same melodic path, letting Chamian zone out with some epic solos while Mintz-Plasse gradually ups the ante, pushing the track harder and harder throughout.
“Ideas” might be Sanders’ strongest vocal track as he navigates the landscape with soothing cries of reflection and screams of angst. But as a whole, the group saves its best for last with the sincere “Middae.” “Oh, I didn’t question, the lines up in the sky. …won’t someone tell me why?”
Coming off of a quick East Coast/West Coast tour that culminated in a star-studded, blowout release show for It Is What It Is at The Roxy on the Sunset Strip, it would be easy for this group to lose focus and get wrapped up in the rock star life that’s inches away from their fingertips. But, never ones to build hype off of star power like they could, they chose to focus on honing their craft, and It Is What It Is is evidence of that effort. The same qualities that allowed Everything Vibrates to be good allowed this short, but sweet, EP to be just a little bit better. It provides optimism for what’s to come from the Young Rapscallions in the near future.
The Young Rapscallions – It Is What It Is tracklist:
- “Shirker”
- “One Hard Push”
- “it is what it is/Quit Milling About”
- “Ideas”
- “Middae”
