Young Yet Brilliant Sleuths/Guides & Braves
Self-Titled Split
Self-Released
Street: 06.04
YYBS/Guides & Braves = Imbroco + Real Estate + Track Star
It is weird that this split record sounds vintage to me. As vintage as, say, the early aughts, when emo fractured into two very disparate camps. Both YYBS and Guides & Braves follow in the footsteps of groups full of sensitive guys who wrote catchy, hooky, mid-tempo songs with self-deprecating winks to their post-adolescent/post-collegiate angst before emo took to the interwebs and mutated into this giant, embarrassing idiot-child monster. This split goes back before that happened, back when bands like The Promise Ring—or more apt for this, Vermont—were vital and mall-goth histrionics were simply a rumble on the distant horizon. This split is a strong showing from both groups. Things don’t get much sweeter than their collaborative track at the end of the split that smoothes over YYBS’ post-punk jaggedness and reigns in Guides & Braves penchant for navel-gazing into a perfect melancholy song. –Ryan Hall