By Stan Cierlitsky
Youth Lagoon's new album is a masterpiece. I would like to stop the review there, and just have all of you trust me and go out and immediately listen to Heaven is a Junkyard, but I guess I will tell you all why I think this Fat Possum release is so good.
Yeah, this is the first new album that Trevor Powers has put out under the Youth Lagoon name since 2016, and I guess that's a big deal to a lot of people. But he did release two very special albums in between. 2018's Mulberry Violence was one of my favorite albums that year. It took on a much more interesting electronic approach, but still had all the charm you would want from Trevor Powers. Check out "XTQ Idol" to see what I'm talking about. In 2020 he released another shorter album called Capricorn. It was mostly instrumental but also an incredible listen.
So here we are. The main event. Youth Lagoon is back, and Heaven is a Junkyard is out on Fat Possum on June 9th. Hopefully all of you have been following along over the last couple of months, because Trevor has already treated us to three amazing songs from the album. "Idaho Alien" was the first. The piano drive with amazing samples leads the way, but then Trevor's voice soars in. When I first heard this song all I could think of was somehow he is capturing the intimacy of his legendary debut album The Year of Hibernation, while expanding his base as a composer. The rest of the album confirms that.
The video for "Idaho Alien" is a perfect accompaniment to the song. It really helps create a mental picture of a setting that works so well with the album. It was also great to see Trevor appear in the video, but I will admit I almost didn't recognize him. In 2021 Trevor took some over-the-counter medication and severely reacted to it. He lost his voice and 30 pounds. Hearing about this after the fact was a little gutting. You see, in 2022 I had some pretty serious health issues, and Trevor personally wrote me a handwritten two-page letter and sent me a signed Polaroid picture. It buoyed my spirits incredibly. To me, Trevor Powers is just such a wonderful human being, and I wish him all the health and happiness in the world.
The second teaser from Heaven is a Junkyard is called "Prizefighter". It is my favorite song on the album and is lining up to be my favorite song of the year. Again, the piano and samples start the show, but the CR76 drum machine lifts this song to new heights. It's apparently a song that explores the relationship between two brothers, leaving the listener to try and figure out what's fact and what's fiction. To me, the lyrics are what make this song so special. It's such a simple lyric, but it's hard for anyone not to relate to it:
"I got the world, so I'll be fine
I got the sunshine to figure me out
I'm back to work, that's over
Now all I want is fun
Yeah, my work ain't hard
But it's got to be done"
Before I move on to the next teaser, I wanted to talk about the album's opener. It's called "Rabbit" and it creates the perfect trifecta, along with "Idaho Alien" and "Prizefighter", of what Heaven is a Junkyard feels like to me. Like I mentioned earlier, Trevor has figured out how to harness the intimacy of The Year of Hibernation but expand upon it both musically, lyrically, and vocally. On The Year of Hibernation, Trevor would bury his vocals deep down behind his music, but not here. Thankfully it seems like Trevor has full confidence in his unique voice. Musically, "Rabbit" feels a lot like "Prizefighter". I never thought I could love a drum machine on a song, but wow! It also features a cameo from his niece. A perfect decision to add this to such a creative landscape.
The third teaser, and Trevor's favorite song on the album. is also the heart of Heaven is a Junkyard. It's an incredible piano ballad called "The Sling". On this song, Trevor announces that "Heaven is a junkyard" to a beautiful string accompaniment by Rob Moose. Apparently, Trevor wrote the phrase "Heaven is a junkyard" in his journal while watching his neighbor's farmhouse catch fire. He admits he didn't know what it meant, and might still not. To me, that's the fun of this album. Trying to figure it out.
After the fourth song, "The Sling", the album goes off in a lot of different directions. "While Rabbit", "Idaho Alien", and "Prizefighter" worked together to make you think a certain way about the album, but it's hard to put your finger on the rest of the record. It's kind of like walking through a junkyard looking for interesting things and using your imagination to try and piece them together.
The album's fifth song, "Lux Radio Theater", sounds like it's right off of Capricorn. A relatively short instrumental that is just beautiful, and it feels like an intermission of sorts. The following song, "Deep Red Sea" is one of the most interesting songs on the album. I have struggled so hard to try and find ways to describe it. It definitely feels a little like Mulberry Violence (the piano reminds me a little of "Playwright"), but it's different. It really feels like new ground for Trevor. The best I could come up with is The Blue Nile vs. the Blade Runner Soundtrack.
The next song, "Trapeze Artist", musically feels like the first three, but this song is definitely its own thing. One difference is that he uses the Everyday People's Choir for backing vocals. This is also the song where he explores what he went through back in 2021.
"In the strangest dream, I'm sick and I'm scared
and I'm high on a trapeze.
My mouth is on fire,
But nobody sees me."
The last song on the album, "Toy Rocketship", is also a standout. It is the one song here that really reminds me of Mulberry Violence. It's a glorious electronic song with an intensity that puts an exclamation point on the album.
Even though I love every song on Heaven is a Junkyard, I will leave you all to listen to the others. It's a special album, and everyone should hear it. Who could have imagined a science fiction-y concept album from an indie artist from Idaho? Again, Heaven is a Junkyard is out on Fat Possum on June 9th, and Youth Lagoon will be on tour later this year.
[Photo: Tyler T. Williams]