Chicago – There’s always so much pressure placed on a band to create a marvelous sophomore album when their debut knocks it out of the park. Seeing as Glasgow band PAWShad critics raving with their first release Cokefloat!, I’m sure Phillip Taylor, Josh Swinne, and newcomer Ryan Drever felt the need to push themselves further with the subsequent albumYouth Culture Forever. The Scottish lads traveled to Upstate New York, hunkered down in the recording studio of Adam Pierce (Fat Cat Records), and created a masterpiece of a follow-up that bleeds punk, pop, and some heavy rock. YCF is certainly more mature lyrically and instrumentally, yet it still manages to hold onto PAWS’ youthful aggression and punk sensibilities. Quite simply, Youth Culture Forever is brilliant from beginning to end and warrants heavy rotation.

The album starts off with “Erreur Humaine,” which changes its pace, moving between slow and gentle melodies to speedier, louder, harsher moments, as Phillip sings about his losses and failed relationships. It is a preview of sorts, letting you know of all that is headed your way in YCF as you venture forward. “Tongues,” the first single off of YCF follows.  Despite the darkness and sadness of the lyrics, it’s super upbeat and ever so catchy. The same can be said of  “Give Up” and “Someone New.” You’re bound to be dancing around, whipping your hair, and singing, “Do you wanna know-oh-oooh-ooooh the truth?” along with Phillip.

Songs like “Owls Talons Clenching My Heart” and “Alone,” which features some stirring cello work by Isabel Castellvi, slow things down a bit, leaving you to focus more on Phillips’ brooding words. Towards the end of the album “Narcissist” picks things back up and wonderfully displays Josh’s skills as a drummer. In a recent interview with BestNewBands.com, Phillip talked about his feelings of narcissism: “I’ve tried to write songs about fictional events or characters in metaphoric styling and things like that, but I find it impossible. It seems that, for now at least, I can only write whole heartedly and honestly about experiences that I have in life. I’m not very happy about that though, because it probably makes me sound like a fucking narcissistic child.” Phillip, you are not a narcissist for writing songs about your life, and please do not stop writing songs about yourself. Your songwriting is wonderful and honest. Take these words, for instance: “Cut up that noose. Why should you care about what the others think? Fuck what the others think.” (“Alone”) The experiences and emotions you fill your lyrics with are what make your music so relatable. And powerful.

“War Cry” is the final song on Youth Culture Forever, coming in at a whopping eleven minutes and forty-three seconds. It is also my favorite song on this album. I have to jump into first person here for a moment. The first time I listened to YCF I was cleaning my kitchen. I remember these beautiful, quiet chords started to play. Phillip cleared his throat and began to sing softly. Emotion slowly built up in his voice and then, bam! Josh’s drums came crashing in and Phillip’s guitar swelled. I dropped the dish I was washing. It shattered, but I didn’t care. Phillip’s screams and Ryan’s bass pulled me in even further. I slowly walked over to my laptop, pulled off the yellow, rubber gloves from my hands, and scrolled to see what song was playing. It was “War Cry.” I stood there for a few minutes, lost in awe, like the first time I heard Nirvana. I closed my eyes. Goose bumps ran down my arms. When it finished, I mumbled a few inappropriate words and played it again. And again.

To quote Samuel Ullman, “Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind.” That said, whether you’re young or old, if you’re young at heart, Youth Culture Forever will make you want to chug a beer, grab a smoke, and thrash around with no cares, while proudly proclaiming, “Youth Culture Forever!”

YCFis set for release on May 6, 2014 in the U.S. and later in June in the UK. You can preorder through iTunes or pick up a limited edition green vinyl through Fat Cat Records.

PAWS are also touring the U.S. with We Are Scientists until the middle of May. Then they are heading east of the Atlantic for the YCF UK Tour. Click here to check out their tour dates. Not sure if you should see them live? Then click here for a review of their recent show in Chicago.

(Photo credit: Martin Barker)