ZOOMERCORE
YOAX - All My Songs for You Me
“Sleeping by ourselves, what a hurtful thing to do”
At the center of YOAX’s sophomore album All My Songs For You is an exploration of a relationship on its last legs. Centerpiece Carter French’s ability to tap into dark parts of the human psyche, the romantic and emotional crevices of his brain, make the album a deeply personal and emotive experience. Noise, drum machines and feedback are used liberally, yet Songs never feels far from the humans behind the music. Throughout the deep experimentation in Songs is a palpable heartbeat.
Standout songs “For You (I’d Do Anything)” and “All My Songs For You” bring the listener into the world of Carter French’s emotional surroundings: at once melancholic, emotionally vulnerable, and hopeful. His alt-rock, experimental sensibilities recall artists like Jeff Tweedy, Broken Social Scene and Women. The recording techniques used in Songs are also notable. The lofi, home-recording style recording works well with the bare bone, vulnerable lyrical themes. If the album were recorded any cleaner, it would lack the bedroom intimacy that the themes require.
The album clocks in at 1 hour 8 minutes, making it a long stay inside the hazy, heartbroken universe of YOAX. After the album, the listener may find themselves wanting to take a cold shower, go on a quick jog, or clean their room to avoid the feeling this album produces. But I’d recommend staying in the YOAX-included melancholy, and appreciate the simple fact that all things have a beginning and an end. Some special artists like YOAX can prove that this impermanence, while painful, is beautiful.
At the center of YOAX’s sophomore album All My Songs For You is an exploration of a relationship on its last legs. Centerpiece Carter French’s ability to tap into dark parts of the human psyche, the romantic and emotional crevices of his brain, make the album a deeply personal and emotive experience. Noise, drum machines and feedback are used liberally, yet Songs never feels far from the humans behind the music. Throughout the deep experimentation in Songs is a palpable heartbeat.
Standout songs “For You (I’d Do Anything)” and “All My Songs For You” bring the listener into the world of Carter French’s emotional surroundings: at once melancholic, emotionally vulnerable, and hopeful. His alt-rock, experimental sensibilities recall artists like Jeff Tweedy, Broken Social Scene and Women. The recording techniques used in Songs are also notable. The lofi, home-recording style recording works well with the bare bone, vulnerable lyrical themes. If the album were recorded any cleaner, it would lack the bedroom intimacy that the themes require.
The album clocks in at 1 hour 8 minutes, making it a long stay inside the hazy, heartbroken universe of YOAX. After the album, the listener may find themselves wanting to take a cold shower, go on a quick jog, or clean their room to avoid the feeling this album produces. But I’d recommend staying in the YOAX-included melancholy, and appreciate the simple fact that all things have a beginning and an end. Some special artists like YOAX can prove that this impermanence, while painful, is beautiful.