THE YOUNG REPUBLIC
’12 Tales From Winter City’ is the debut album from The Young Republic. A compilation of sorts, the album compiles songs written and sold on cd-r’s at shows over the past two years. Recorded in classrooms, church halls and anywhere they could all fit in a room at once, roping in friends and allies (and at one point a 20 piece choir!), it is set to become one of the most exciting records you’ll hear in 2008. Combining classically trained musicians with classic indie-pop songwriting, End Of The Road have unearthed a major new talent.
Q: “...the sense of potential is tantalising.”
THE YOUNG REPUBLIC and their plethora of instruments are:
Julian Saporiti - Vocals, Guitar
Kristin Weber - Violin, Vocals
Bob Merkl - Guitar, Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Vocals
Chris Miller - Electric Bass, Contra Bass
Nate Underkuffler - Viola, Percussion
Katherine Neis - Flute, Vocals
MJ Kim - Piano, Organ, Accordion
Matt Smith - Drums, Percussion
Rough Trade: “12 Slices of American Indie Heaven”
’12 Songs From Winter City’ is a beautifully accomplished debut album. Already receiving praise from Rough Trade who made the soft release ‘Album of the Week’. The album also contains former Artrocker.com single of the week “Modern Plays” and also “Blue Skies” and “Girl From The Northern States” , all three of which were named single of the week by Rough Trade Shops.
The Young Republic walk the line between country soaked power pop and classical soaring strings. They layer their sounds, instruments and melodies to make harmony led songs of beauty, love, longing and belonging. Their ability to blend their talents and influences has resulted in a sound that is truly theirs, and has had critics struggling for comparison: From Jack White to Belle and Sebastian, Jonathan Richman to Arcade Fire, Mozart to The Shins, Springsteen to Bright Eyes no one seems quite able to put their finger on what it is that makes the band so special.
Guardian: “His [Julian Saporiti] voice fizzles with Jonathan Richman’s wryness and Jack White’s bite, adding extra dazzle to songs that flit playfully between 1960’s Phil Spector style sparkle, power pop, and jaunty country… Catch them while you can”
2007 saw the band play studio sessions for John Kennedy and Gideon Coe, festival appearances at Glastonbury and End of the Road, and a support tour with My Brightest Diamond in the UK, as well as a handful of rapturously received headline shows proving the band to be a force to be reckoned with on stage as well as on record.
2008 promises to be a big year for The Young Republic as they relocate to Julian’s hometown of Nashville, TN from the colder climes of Boston. As ’12 Tales From Winter City’ begins its journey the band will head to the studio to begin work on their next album before emerging in late February for some US dates in the run up to SXSW 2008. The band will then return to the UK and Europe in time for the Summer.
