EP REVIEW: Keepsakes & Reminders Acoustic – Youth Fountain
Just as they are about to play Slam Dunk Festival, YOUTH FOUNTAIN have released the second instalment of their acoustic EP series. This one is called Keepsakes & Reminders Acoustic and it features acoustic versions of songs from their second album of the same name. It follows on from the band’s 2020 acoustic EP, Letters To Our Former Selves. However, instead of doing this one on his own, Tyler Zanon decided to enlist the help of producer/engineer Tim Creviston, who is also a good friend of the band.
An acoustic EP is the opportunity for a band to do the same song in a completely different way, and that’s exactly what happens on Keepsakes & Reminders. My Mental Health goes from being an upbeat short introduction to a gorgeous acoustic song that is combined with Century. The two songs do merge into each other, and if you are unfamiliar with the source material, it can be hard to tell where one song ends and the other begins. However, this is actually a good thing because it creates a unique song that works really well.
Peace Offering is next, and it really hits home how heartbreaking the lyrics are as Zanon talks about “how all I see are my insecurities“. The slow-tempo of the songs makes for the perfect soundtrack to a rainy afternoon. Another thing that this EP does well is showcase how fantastic Zanon‘s vocals are. Where it can be easy to hide behind auto-tune and loud instruments on a full band track, acoustic offerings strip things bare for all to see. It is a bit like pulling open your ribcage and holding out your heart. It is an incredibly vulnerable thing for musicians to do, especially on an EP like this one which talks about mental health struggles so openly.
But for those who were worried that the EP would be a one-note wonder, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Birthright is an upbeat and fast-paced acoustic track, which contrasts Scavenger. Whilst there is the feeling that you are never going to get the full experience of the songs unless you hear the original, this EP shows that there is a way to breathe new life into old songs. For example, on Speaking In Tongues, the vocals overlap each other, almost like gang vocals. This is a unique way to not only incorporate the traditions of pop-punk into an acoustic EP, but also to make the EP unique and lively.
Furthermore, the pacing of the overall EP is solid, with some slow songs and some fast-paced songs. Even with their differences in tempo, these do not affect the overall flow of the record, in turn thanks to the fantastic production by Creviston, who knows what he is doing by shaping a perfect EP.
Overall, Keepsakes & Reminders Acoustic might lack the outlandish and in your face of the instruments on the original album, but YOUTH FOUNTAIN show that sometimes acoustic is actually better. Is it simple? Yes, but that is the beauty of it. This EP showcases a different side to the band, and it also shows the tender and heartbreaking lyrics as they deserve to be heard. A simple but breathtaking EP, Keepsakes & Reminders Acoustic is one that both fans and newcomers can treasure.
Rating: 8/10
Keepsakes & Reminders Acoustic is set for release on May 19th via Pure Noise Records.
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