It seems dumb on a lot of levels to focus so much on youth when talking about a band called YOUTHS, especially when one has no idea how old any of the people in the group. Yet (here’s that word again) youthful energy flows through the two songs they’ve uploaded to the Internet. “Vomit,” in particular has a Strokes-ey swagger about it, the guitars zipping along while the vocals (both the weakest aspect of YOUTHS yet also giving them a certain charm that separates them from other indie-popish groups in Japan) bob over the whole thing, stray guitar notes adding a touch of melancholy to the chug. It all leads into a great finale, where the vocals get joined by some background cooing and turned-up drumming.
“Yoru No Hitobito” takes more time to be reflective, YOUTHS slowing down from the jog of “Vomit” in favor of a more mid-tempo stroll. It isn’t as immediately satisfying as “Vomit” – the vocals are toned down considerably – yet it’s still solid. Listen below.