Stand Beside Me

New York City’s Young Harbor doesn't want to be like other bands, yet they also embrace the sensibilities of up tempo, accessible, short and well crafted pop songs. A conundrum for sure, but this 4 piece makes it look easy.
Unabashed fans of Post punk and The Smiths, songwriting duo Guy Amir (lead vocal, guitar) and Brandon Malave (guitar, vocals) show that influence with jangly, guitar led, hooky songs which backdrop the unique, hiply quirky vocal melodies.
The result is a dancy Pop Rock sound with a string of guitar hooks that go from U2 arpeggios to 90’s distortion, fronted by a vocal with a unique feel for melodic impact and dynamics. 
The band provides a few different grooves on their debut LP, each one getting a good 3 minute workout. They don’t, however, lose the aforementioned qualities as a unit. And neither do they detract from the formula of guitar led Pop Rock music. What they bring to the formula is a dual layered sound. Dance grooves in sexy time signatures.

Criminals