Young the Giant’s newest studio album, Mind Over Matter, is all about overcoming the mental obstacles that one creates for oneself. Signed about five years ago, the fledgling band has already seen its share of success, a highlight being their 2011 VMA performance. Riding the wave of popularity from their self-titled first album, the band took its time to carefully craft a follow-up which was released on January 21.
Listening to “Mind Over Matter,” the title track of the new album, the sound is hardly recognizable from their previous work. In fact, the only familiar component is the powerful, unique voice of lead singer Sameer Gadhia as the group has completely changed their instrumentation for this track, trading guitars for synthesized violins. This shift signifies an expansion of horizons for the band, which previously worked with a strictly alternative rock sound. Although this advent of electronic pop may not agree with all fans of the band, it certainly provides an interesting twist for Young the Giant.