Young Antiques

""Atlanta trio the Young Antiques play angry-young-man rock that draws from Hüsker Dü and the '80s Minneapolis hardcore scene as well as the Jam and Elvis Costello. With this unique, if a bit retro mix, the band creates buoyant and propulsive songs that shoot straight to the heart of what makes good old rock & roll great. With Blake Parris on bass, Blake Rainey on vocals and guitar and Kevin Charney on drums, The Young Antiques are back together after first unleashing their raw power pop and post-punk anthems in 2000 when the group self-released their debut, Wardrobe for a Jet Weekend. Their sophomore release, Clockworker, followed in 2003 on Two Sheds Music, meeting their goal of making a record that re-creates the atmosphere of late-'70s pop-punk. Since, the band has found their stride and a place alongside groups like the Natural History, the French Kicks and the Libertines."
- Charles Spano

"Founding 'Tiques Blake Rainey and Blake Parris are back in action after pursuing separate paths for the past couple of years. Rainey, who has enjoyed a successful foray into the low-key Americana-folk field, and Parris, a key member of Sodajerk, are putting those roles on the back burner for the moment to concentrate on the revitalization of their punky, punchy Young Antiques, one of the best Atlanta rock bands of the past two decades. Kevin Charney of Sodajerk is on board as well, and the band is as vital as ever, apparently energized from the hiatus."
- Lee Valntine Smith

"Atlanta based trio The Young Antiques make no apologies for embracing the music of their past, and with the release of their latest full length, CLOCKWORKER, listeners won't come asking them to. With a brick wall guitar sound and solid, backbeat-for-a-spine rhythm section, Blake Rainey, Blake Parris and Kevin Charney present straightforward, high energy, balls out, rebellious post-punk anthems with choruses that beg you to scream along. The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, early REM, The Replacements and The Knack can all be heard swirling around in the 'Tiques collective head, but it would be a disservice to call them derivative. The quality of their songs give them their own voice." - Slender Music

Hailing from the Atlanta and Athens scene, The Young Antiques are stirring up their own potent mixture of new post-punk with a lyrical core.

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Blake Rainey stays within his poet influences: Take it or leave it / Don't rake it like leaves in the fall", he sings on "Adore". He calls Dylan Thomas the one, but is not to be limited to gods, ghosts, dreams, and the natural scene. Bassist Blake Parris grew up in the same barren place as Rainey (Cedartown, GA), finding his love for punk rock at an early age. He houses the raw and pure energy this band delivers in life and on stage. Drummer John Speaks makes his debut with the 'Tiques on Clockworker as the cathartic gatekeeper who will kill you with his slingshot if he doesn't get to pound the skins. He's played with Skirt, Jody Grind, and Opal Foxx Quartet too.

The Young Antiques debut release, 2000's Wardrobe for a Jet Weekend, established the band's eclectic blend, as it carousels effortlessly from decade to decade, and genre to genre. The record received both critical and popular praise throughout the Southeast.

Following the release of Wardrobe, the band spent a couple of years honing its live show, to the point where it has been acclaimed as one of the best live bands in Atlanta. The band's extended sets, which on special occasions might conclude with a Ramones or Clash medley, have become a raucous affair.

In May 2003, the band released Clockworker, which is the band's first release on the Two Sheds label.
- Two Sheds

"These tunes, all written by frontman Blake Rainey, reach out and grab you, shaking your senses like the best power-pop should. There’s less punky, garage-styled aggression here than in the past, but Rainey—who’s been pursuing an introverted folkie solo career for the last few years—clearly needed to get these tunes off his chest. Fans of Cheap Trick and especially the Smithereens will find a kindred spirit in these sharp, tight rockers.
Rainey’s in terrific voice throughout, soulful and rich, working with engineer Tim Delaney and thickening the band’s sound for a perfectly paced, no-frills set that clocks in at just over a half hour. Recording in the basement of Atlanta’s Biltmore Hotel adds a bit of grime to these arrangements, which seem more expansive than on earlier releases.
Songs such as “Johnny Da Da” make the most of the limited instrumentation, utilizing short bursts that build the tension and release it in two-and-a-half-minute explosions of rocking pop as immediate as anything in the Plimsouls’ catalog" - Chad Radford

It is refreshing to hear straight-ahead, poppy rock songs done well, like a double scoop ice cream cone on a hot summer day. On Soundtrack to Tear Us Apart, the third album from Atlanta rockers Young Antiques, each song is a power-pop treat. The band has crafted a 10-song collection packed full of catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and the solid musicianship of veteran players confident in their abilities and chemistry together. Soundtrack to Tear Us Apart starts with the energetic “(There Isn’t Anything That Means) Nothing at All,” and builds throughout. It says something for Soundtrack’s depth that one of its best songs, “On a Planet,” is the last track. With no missteps and lots of hits, Soundtrack to Tear Us Apart is a solid album through and through. While its September release puts Soundtrack out for fall, it feels like a summer record alleviating the heat with its cool, refreshing tunes."
- Jason Peterson

"Blake Rainey and crew delivered a blistering set drawing from attempts to fuse literary sensibility into a an unpretentious basic rock formula, translating into a charged band inspired by a Blonde on Blonde Dylan and early Replacements whatsis. I haven't seen 'em since about four years ago and this set served as a pleasant reminder of what I've (and you've) been missing. Pitch-perfect were their sensitive yearnings encased in self-righteous indignation at the unfairness of tragedy one's life inevitably is forced to travail through. Minstrelship for the ages. - Tim Shea

"These guys reside where punk meets pop, in a neighborhood that includes folks such as Husker Du, the Jam and the Replacements, adding a touch of literate Southern charm to the community. " - AJC