Last night I went to the Young the Giant concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. It was amazing! If you ever get the chance to see them live, I would highly recommend it. The whole experience was basically a giant party, but one you would actually want to attend.
I’m quite proud of this photo because I never get decent photos at concerts–I’m a notoriously bad photographer even though I wanted to be a photographer at one point in my life.
If you listen to Young the Giant (YtG), you probably know that the lead singer, Sameer, has a very soothing voice that doesn’t seem like it would be good for a rock show. However, YtG made every song they played into an exciting event.
I think instead of continuing to fangirl about them, I’ll give a list of my top 5 songs I would recommend to listen to if you want to check them out (in no particular order). I’m also excluding the two most popular, My Body and Cough Syrup, because I want to introduce other songs (not just their most famous). I honestly love all of their songs though, especially their newest album, Home of The Strange and their sophomore album, Mind Over Matter. So, go listen to more YtG and fall in love <3
1. Anagram
Ok, this one is listed first because it may be my favorite… I haven’t decided that yet though. Either way, it’s an amazing song and a lot of fun to sing.
Best Lyric: “Life’s a riddle/ Not a game of dice/ Not for a man who rolls with ice”
2. Art Exhibit
This one is just beautiful and your ears will appreciate the beauty. This one is also in contention for my favorite song. I love it all: the lyrics, the melody, the mood of the song, everything.
Best Lyric: “I, I watched the movie of you today/ Silver screen/ Adapted from my thoughts on Broadway”
3. Repeat
I liked this song when I first heard it just for the overall feel. However, when I was at the concert Sameer explained that the song is about history repeating itself and how we should learn from history. This made me like the song even more.
Best Lyric: “There’s darkness through the doorways/ Silence in the streets/ There’s something in the stillness/ A distant memory”
4. Titus Was Born
This song is beautiful again and has amazing lyrics that tells a story while also sending a message. If you watch a video on the making of Titus, the band explains how the song is about each of them. They are all either first generation Americans or immigrants to America who still have their green cards.
Best Lyric: The entire song, but if I have to choose, “Rainwater stuck in his head/ It filled him with words left unsaid/ Of all the things he might be/ Drifting at sea/ At night he would dream”
5. Mind Over Matter
This one is another fun one to sing along to and has remained a favorite of mine since I first started listening to Young the Giant.
Best Lyric: “And when the seasons change/ Will you stand by me?”
I also love these two lyrics because of their images: “I missed that train, New York city – it rains!” “I missed that train, New York city – it rains!”
They have so many great songs, though, so go out and listen to them and then tell me your favorites!
-Rachel