The Young Novelists

'Made Us Strangers' (album stream)

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Apr 21, 2015

Rootsy Toronto-based outfit the Young Novelists are set to return with their sophomore effort Made Us Strangers next week, but Exclaim! is giving you an early listen to the forthcoming full-length, right now.
 
Working with Zeus' Carlin Nicholson as producer, the Young Novelists achieved a grittier sound on the new album. Eschewing pitch correction and click tracks — and even recording some tracks live off the floor — the group managed to attain a sound that's natural and raw, but still powerful.
 
"We were looking to inject a bit of excitement and edginess into it this time around," said primary songwriter Graydon James in a statement. "But we also wanted the recordings to be more organic and true."
 
It's a sentiment that can be heard from get-go — album opener "Palindrome" establishes the band's new found indie rock-leaning vibe, but the vocal harmonies and twangy guitars keep it rooted in the folk tradition. There are still softer, full-blown folk moments like the gorgeous, lush-sounding, ballad-esque "Always Make the Mistake," and the acoustic guitar-driven "Couldn't Be Any Worse," which gets bolstered by strings and piano making for an orchestral, melancholy moment amidst the more experimental, edgier material.
 
Elsewhere, "Brothers in the Garage" builds into a stomp-along rocker, while "What Lies Ahead" delivers explosive rock'n'roll right from the opening burst of drum and guitar noise. The album closes on "Who Can Say," showing off the of the acoustic strums, honkytonk piano runs and rollicking drums that permeate the collection of tracks before it.
 
You can see the band's upcoming tour dates listed below, and scroll past them to give a listen Made Us Strangers in its entirety. The independently released album officially arrives on April 28, but you can hear it below, right now.
 
Tour dates:
 
05/01 Hamilton, ON – Homegrown Hamilton
05/02 London, ON – London Music Club
05/03 Quebec City, QC – L'Agitee
05/05 Moncton, NB – Plan B
05/06 Halifax, NS – Company House
05/07 Fredericton, NB – Capital Complex
05/09 Orillia, ON – The Brownstone
05/13 Kitchener, ON – The Boathouse
05/22 Toronto, ON – Little Trinity Church – Official Album Release Party
05/23 Montreal, QC – Petit Campus
05/28 Peterborough, ON – The Spill
05/30 Windsor, ON – Phog Lounge
06/12 Wakefield, QC – The Blacksheep Inn
06/18 Kingston, ON – The Mansion
06/19 Oshawa, ON – The Hub
 

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