The Young Republic

End Of The Road Records' flagship band, The Young Republic, have returned with their second album. Stuffed full with virtuoso performances and the kind of epic orchestral arrangements not seen since The Arcade Fire's debut. Balletesque has all of the hard-hitting edge of their debut 12 Tales From Winter City but is even more glorious for its complexity and softness.
With Balletesque The Young Republic manage to keep their own distinctive sound while adopting and blending some of the best bits of country, folk, classical and even indie. This genre-hopping could have so easily been a disastrous montage of musical styles, like the last decade of Van Morrison releases, but is instead a fully accomplished, dare I say it, masterpiece.
'Rose Parado' is a stunning example of this. The hard-hitting vocals, punchy guitars and sweeping folk string arrangements conjures up all sorts of beautiful images of Tom Waits singing with Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. Of course, it isn't as simple as that, The Young Republic are truly original and have such an eclectic sound within and between songs that makes it almost impossible to pinpoint their influences. Their sound is complex and distinctive but never inaccessible, and always fully realised.
They may jump between several genres within a single song, but they use some sort of super-strength indie adhesive to turn what could've been a disastrous project into a coherent and simply stunning album. I could blast on about the brilliance of each and every song on the album, but I'll leave all that up to you guys...

Jonathan Wilson - For Folks Sake

*** (3 stars)
Forming at Boston’s Berklee College Of Music in 2005, The Young Republic have grown up on record. Their 2006 EP saw frontman Julian Saporiti and his troupe striking Beatles poses while their first full LP, 12 Tales From Winter City, showcased their country-fied take on post-Arcade Fire ambience. This time around, the six-piece blend baroque classical textures with a quest for Steinbeck’s America. If the influence of the Pixies and Bright Eyes are audible alongside the rootsier qualities of Rose Parade and Sam Clemens, its on the epic canter of The Alchemist and the sweeping reflections of Autumn’s In The Trees (driven by violinist Kristin Weber’s irresistible arrangements) that the band discover a true sense of self.

Phil Alexander - Mojo

**** (4 stars)

This lovely record initially sparked some apprehension in me: the sleave featuresa 'dude'with an accordion, while the whole thing appears to be dedicated to people long dead - bringing fears that it would a yed t-shirt granddad of an album.

No worries on this score. The traditional thing here is the final track and even this sounds a little like Bright Eyes. Elsewhere, some impeccable modern influences are subtly displayed, from the yelped vocal on ‘Rose Parade’ which reminded me of of latter day Walkmen to 'Black Duck Blues' which is a T-Rexstasy stomp with appropriately bluesy slide guitars. Meanwhile, singer Julian Saporiti’s voice is a gorgeous, ever changing instrument throughout the album.

Young Republic, from Nashville, Tennessee, are in no hurry. Balletesque is like a dignified Southern gent who’s taking it easy, the music flowing as smoothly as bourbon.

Stuart Gadd - Artrocker

While masses started swarming to Stubb’s for Metallica’s “surprise” concert Friday night, early arrival on Sixth Street unearthed an actual revelation: The Young Republic. Envy youthful ambition. By 8:15, the Tennessee sextet - mixing folk against heavy rock, sing-along pop atop space echo - transformed the rooftop at Maggie Mae’s into a boundless futuristic rainbow. By 8:30, the darkening sky seemed a Technicolor daydream.

Fueled by devilish foresight and fiery aim, lead singer Julian Saporiti engaged immediately. “For those of you not hip enough to know, we’re from Nashville,” he jousted. “It’s country music and us.” True enough: The Young Republic traced every surrounding firmament but seemingly avoided its hometown’s signature sound.

Eager listeners cheered rolling funk (“The Alchemist”), art house pop (“Napoleon Roses”) and irresistible love refrains (“Girl from the Northern States”).

“Black Duck Blues” - its dirty slide a spontaneous drag race of outlaw spirit and illegal smiles - does owe more to Hank Williams than Muddy Waters. And Saporiti did spike his boiling exclamations with piercing hip thrusts and seismic gyrations - nearly mounting his acoustic guitar at one point - pinched directly from the Elvis Presley playbook. Perhaps new millennium country and western screams in the night.

“We’re gonna play a pop song for you because we want more dancing,” Saporiti said, introducing the tongue-in-cheek anthem “Why Don’t White Boys Dance Anymore.” “This is our one and only four-part harmony.” Imagine Soundgarden and the Four Tops splitting verses on a Weezer song. Even better, its buoyant melody and irresistible call to action inspired a balding, bespectacled caucasian man to spin his best moves down front. Perfect."

"SXSW Review: The Young Republic"
By Brian T. Atkinson
Saturday, March 21, 2009
(Maggie Mae’s rooftop, 8 p.m. Friday)
- The Austin Chronicle

This is the summer we never had. The girl we never kissed. The compilation tape we didn't make and the parties we always missed. The Young Republic have delivered a bright and breezy indie gem that mines a past when indie meant creativity, and not a cash-till mentality. Wistful orchestral interludes, nods to Felt, early B&S and Cinerama with lyrics about girls in art history classes – what more could you possibly want? Kick out the regret and embrace them now

Don Blandford - artrocker.com

4****
The Young Republic follow with the earnestness and buoyancy you would expect from a bunch of sharp, classically trained, music college students. There are eight of them, including a hip-shimmying flautist, two fiddlers, a polka-dot-dressed, stripy-socked keyboardist, and the finest-hatted rhythm section to ever bounce out of Boston. The storm of ideas and sounds spins around singer Julian Saporiti, an apparition of Paul McCartney in early 1963, complete with waistcoat, tie and mop top. His voice fizzes with Jonathan Richman's wryness and Jack White's bite, adding extra dazzle to songs that flit playfully between 1960s Phil Spector-style sparkle, power pop, and jaunty country. Everything buzzes by breezily, until an extraordinary cover of Bob Dylan's Isis raises the bar even further. To cover a song that's so intrinsically Dylan's is a sign of their confidence; to make it wild, mad and entirely their own, is proof of their incredible potential. Catch them while you can. (Jude Rogers) - The Guardian Newspaper (UK)

Sometimes bands are so good you just have to see them twice; in fact you have to see them on a Wednesday and then the following Thursday, which is exactly what I did this May when I saw the Young Republic in Barfly in Liverpool and then the small little folk bar at the end of my road in Manchester

It is a decision I do not regret because I am fairly confident that The Young Republic are a band of great talent and skill. By all accounts, they are still surprisingly young! The voice of lead singer, Julians, is misleading. His voice suggested warily old-timer, or at least somebody in his early thirties. However his physically appearance led me to conclude that I should never judge a voice by it's singer...or something along those lines.

The Young Republic have it all; skilled musicians, great lyrics and the ability to perform. I will never forget the amazing Tom Waits cover I bore witness too (two nights in a row). I do not exaggerated. It was very impressive.

Having heard their debut album I was expecting to enjoy a night of good music but in the end I just had to settle for two nights of awesome entertainment.

The Liverpool show was a shared event. I went to see the excellent Port O'Brien, however I was humming The Young Republic as I left the venue. It was their heavier, plugged in set.

The Manchester show was in a folk bar, which The Young Republic didn't realise until the night. Quick on their feet, they decided to play their Paris set. It was supposedly played in a lower key, but it remained an impressive performance.

The only disappointing news was the absence of their new and irreplaceable drummer, Dustin Jensen.

Do not despair if you are worried about missing their May tour as a reliable source informs me that The Young Republic are due to return to the UK this September for gigs that included the ever wonderful End of the Road festival (Once again, the best line up of the UK Summer Festivals). This time they should have their band too!

More excitingly, I am told they are working on their follow up album. If they capture the energy they display on stage then rest assured this album will be something very special indeed; it may even solve the global energy crisis!

Ryan Bestford - http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/ryan/

There are times, especially when faced with the unrelenting drudgery of The Kooks, The Killers et al on the BBC's spectacularly myopic Glastonbury coverage, that 2007 feels like the most depressing year for music ever. But there are others - dancing to the glorious "I Am John" by Loney Dear; cheering on Cats On Fire as they reinvent The Smiths; discovering The Young Republic - when it feels like it couldn't possibly get any better.

An eight strong collective of cultured, sensitive types from Boston and the first signings to End Of The Road Festival's new label, The Young Republic look set to send indie-pop hearts a-fluttering with their peerless marriage of Lloyd Cole, Belle & Sebastian and Saturday Looks Good To Me. "Girl From The Northern States" swells and soars like an old favourite, with singer Bob sighing "Don't go for coffee in art-houses", like he's just invented the art of the arch putdown, while the rest of the band don't put a foot wrong in their pursuit of tasteful, orchestral brilliance. Time to fall in love all over again. It is a good year! “

9/10 - Yahoo Music (UK)

*** (3 Stars)

Heart-twanging debut from Bostonian indie/
country/folk/eight piece

Born in a Boston student canteen,The Young Republic
follow some familiar musical signposts on this Americana
steeped debut,from Brian Wilson to Bruce Springsteen.
But they handle these neo-trad ingredients with verve and vitality,
as singer Julian Saporiti's winsome voice veers between lovestruck
wonderment in the space of twanged banjo string.
The languid steel-guitar lament of "Excuses to see You" even
comes with its own knowingly nostalgic country-rock lyric:
"you should have been my Emmylou". Quality workmanship.

Stephen Dalton - UNCUT MAGAZINE

Album Review:
Is it a shallow, join-the-dots observation to liken Boston's Young Republic to Arcade Fire just for being another multi-membered, mixed-sex collective that reaches beyond the usual tangle of guitar/guitar/bass and drums? Brandishing violas, mandolins and flutes, in places they also share the Montreal band's fondness for an expansive sound, although theirs is a folkier, pedal powered version with reduced melodrama and momentum. The 'Fire aren't the only indie heroes recalled-'Modern plays' suggests a supercharged Belle and Sebastian, while the single 'Girl from the Northern States', a wistful tale embroidered with flute and fiddle, could easily have come from the pen of Conor "Bright Eyes" Oberst. Just ooccasionally Julian Saporiti's Lloyd-cole-gone-hillbilly voice needs a break, so applause to Kristin Weber for relieving him of lead vocal duties on the Western swing of 'Goodbye Town' It's just a shame that, closing the record, it's something of an afterthought. But, grumbles aside, this debut achieves plenty, seamlessley skipping from folk introspection and lonesome country balladry to high-voltage power-pop spakiness with a glitteringly perfect cohesion.

Nige Tassell



Covermount Comment:
An 8 Peice from Boston, Massachusetts who came together at college, The Young Republic combine a taste for country-flecked indie rock with a lineup that includes classical instruments and synthesizers. If that means that they're following in the footsteps of Electric Light Orchestra we're all for it. If it doesn't. then thats Ok to. - Word Magazine (Plus Girl In A Tree used on Covermount CD)