No Cause for Concern? Issue #7 | March 1983 | Page 23 | the Young Lion tape review

Young Lions

- tape review

[the Young Lions are
Mike McCurdy, guitar
Christ Genest, bass
Steve Kuzell, drums]

So they finally decided what to do with all that tape they've been making. Too bad they only saw fit to put just six songs on this release though. If the two new cuts on the tape are any example of the direction they're taking their music then they should soon have a following of rockers instead of punks. Both "Pray for Julie" and "Guns and Children" are slow rock and roll tunes but are none the less powerful and also very well produced. It's almost as if they'd spent 70% of their mixing time on "Pray for Julie" alone and it's definitely one of the bast cuts on the tape. As for the other songs, "Young Amerika", "National Security" and "Royal Killers" were released on their first tape but these are new studio recordings (no more garage sound) that also seem to have picked up a more RnR sound in the production and some of the vocals. As for the package, this one has no lyrics, no names, (whatsa matter boys? Afraid j.c. will s.u.e.?) no information on the band whatsoever except for some photos (wonder who took them).

Anyway, even if it is a little pricey for just six songs (thanks to money grubbing distributors), it's still a good tape and you can't get their first one anymore so support Canadian talent, go out and buy two and give one to your little rocker brother.

-J.F.

---

[In response to this review, N.C.F.C. got a letter from the Young Lions' singer/guitarist Mike McCurdy and although it was never published in a subsequent issue, I thought I'd post it here.]

N.C.F.C.,

Thanx for the review of our tape. I'm not exactly sure which one you have 'cause we've released so many different versions. Maybe when we get our record deal with C.B.S they'll give us a secretary to take care of continuity and that kind of shit.

The reason behind some of the songs being more "produced" (e.g. "Pray for Julie") than others is simple. We ran out of money. So we ran out of time. Some things got done better than others. We try to, and often do, work fast but the clock is always against us.

As for attracting a "rocker" crowd/audience, maybe we should clarify some of these musical labels so the "average Joe" will know where he stands if he should so choose to listen to and/or attend Young Lions gigs/records, tapes, etc. in the near future.

Let's use this handy chart to see just what it is we're talking about:

hardcore/ultracore....one chord
skin/oi...............two chords
punk/reggae...........three chords
heavy metal...........four chords
jazz..................five chords

In these enlightened days of cooperation, we've seen many of these modes of popular music mix and gel, resulting in such inspired hybrids as:

jazz/reggae...........six chords
heavy metal punk......3-1/2 chords

Labeling things (such as music, food, people) can be a fun and inexpensive hobby. Try it yourself, if you're just sitting around someday with time on your hands and nothing on your mind.

Thanx again for the recognition and keep up the good work

Peace, Freedom, Anarchy

Yours truly,
Whalen Jim McC. guitar for the Young Lions

P.S. Thanx for the cover shots. I was wondering where they came from. Your cheque's in the mail. Oh yeah, one more thing, anybody is welcome to our gigs as long as they've got an open mind to good thoughts and good times. Now, today, forever.

---

[Sigh. I guess he really didn't like my review. The sad part was that I really liked the music, I guess it just hadn't come through. btw, the photos had been taken by Sheila Boyd, who wasn't happy about their uncredited use. I told Mike I'd forward the cheque.]