Yam Haus are a 4 piece Rock/Pop/Hip Hop/Folk group from the Midwest. They are comprised of: Vocals, Guitar / Lars Pruitt, Electric Guitar / Seth Blum, Bass / Zach Beinlich and Drums / Jake Felstow.
Their album ‘Stargazer’ is to be released on 8th June 2018, we have been lucky enough to hear it early and we can tell you, you are in for a treat! Filled with timeless summer classics, a vocal performance to melt the stoniest of hearts and pure upbeat fun, this album will be kept on repeat all year around.
It’s been really hard to pick but we have chosen our favourite songs. However, there are many more timeless classics on this wonderful record. The first and title track ‘Stargazer’ is a belter of an opening tune and sets the listener up for the catchy, melodic goodness that is to come. The synths give it a very modern and contemporary sound and have been mixed well with the ‘real’ instruments. The drums are full and have enough snap to drive the rhythm along. Funky claps enhance the tune through out giving it an upbeat and motivating feel. The attention to detail on ‘Stargazer’ is very precise. The more we listen to it, the more subtle gems we find. We loved the shakers mixed in right ear phone on verse 2, they add another dimension and its these layers which while subtle are imperative to Yam Haus’s sound. There is an atmospheric bridge and the gorgeous vocals just made us melt.
We also loved ‘West Coast’ it starts with a tape (do you remember those?) being placed into a cassette player, very unique and fun. Again, it’s the attention to detail which sets ‘Stargazer’ apart from the crowd. There is a real Rock/Pop feel to this track, filled with dance claps and beautiful phrasing of the lyrics makes for a true winner. Checking out the awesome video which accompanies ‘West Coast’ is a must.
Pruitt’s voice is just divine. It is smooth and hard hitting all at once. Its one of those voices which you could listen to reading the phone book all day long, on repeat. He reminds us of John Mayer mixed with You Me at Six’s vocalist Josh Franceschi and perhaps a little Adam Levine sprinkled on top.
‘Right Now Forever’ has a gorgeous 1920’s sample followed by claps, an acoustic guitar and gentle vinyl cracks throughout. It is sensitive, relatable and musically interesting though out. Juxtaposed to this is ‘We Are the Storm’ a rockier tune with a bold opening of big drums, guitar riffs mixed in both ear, an even bigger chorus and an all round brilliant track begging to be played as a stadium anthem. We also absolutely loved the mix and mastering of this album. All of the tracks have been brought together and work superbly as one cohesive piece.
From the excellent musicianship to the catchy and cleverly arranged songs, ‘Stargazer’ is a must have addition to your playlists (or cassette tape collection) this summer!
Reviewed by FVReviews June 2018
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