The Young Republic - 12 Tales From Winter City

The long overdue debut from US octet The Young Republic is what one could describe as a ‘mood record’ – to be honest, that could be another term for the genre known as ‘indie-pop’.

If you’re in a ratty, cynical, grumpy state, you’ll want to throw this across the room because of how twee and sickly you think it is, and instead put something like The Wedding Present on.

Yet when you’ve gotten over your ratty, cynical, grumpy state and entered into your usual Pastels-enjoying, Butcher Boy-listening demeanour, ‘12 Tales from Winter City’ will feel like Heaven sent; an album of songs inspired by… well, a city in the winter.

‘When I See Your Eyes I Swear To God That Worlds Collide’ is a prime example of this mood dilemma. The grimacing title; the lyrics revolving around the sudden realisation of someone’s beauty; the twinkled xylophone and strings; the soft, gentle vocals; on a miserable day, they all compound together to be more depressing than any Smiths or Joy Division record – if you consider them depressing, that is.

However, when in the correct disposition, you’ll fall for its bridge comprised of Spanish horns and twinkling piano, which merges into the heart-felt lyrics, the tender xylophone, the plentiful strings and the smooth vocals: it’s a song that you’d ideally put on a Valentine’s Day mixtape to set the mood. Tracks such as previous single ‘Girl from Northern States’ and ‘Real Love (At The End)’ also fall into this mood quandary.

Don’t let the rating be an affirmative guide. Rather, let it represent a sort of average between the two moods: the high euphoria of listening to a beautifully produced record by eight trained musicians in the appropriate frame of mind; the angst of being inflicted with something angrily twee when you’re the exact opposite.