By hmcclure | September 29th, 2012
The wait is over. Collarbones second full-length album Die Young has been released, and it’s brilliant. Completed over the course of a year, this album is made even more incredible given the duo (Marcus Whale and Travis Cook) live in the two Australian cities of Sydney and Adelaide (respectively) – some 1,400km apart.
The album continues in the same vein as its two released singles, “Missing” and “Hypothermia.” Die Young’s modern R&B feel differs from the quirky, disjointed nature of Iconography. Inspired by recollections of their teenage years (crushes, naivety, and an inexperienced heart), the album is a collection of standout tracks overflowing with emotion and intrigue.
As a reviewer, it’s usually relatively easy to pinpoint an album’s standout tracks, but with Die Young it’s virtually impossible. The title track “Die Young” is a throw-back to their first album, with layers of staggering beats providing the perfect back-up to Whale’s yearning vocals. “Teenage Dream” is perhaps the standout for me, a song which screams youthful emotional angst, guaranteed to goose bump, while the celestial tones of the final track “Red” again prompt a multitude of empathy.
The most incredible thing about this album is its ability to hurl the listener back to their awkward, wide-eyed teenage years. Personally, I’ve been following Collarbones for awhile now, so it’s wonderful seeing them getting the attention they deserve. Die Young is a superb piece of work, one of the best of 2012 for me.