Spotlight: Years Down Release “Famous”
Now that things have somewhat returned to normal, many bands are getting back on track with releasing music, announcing tours or shows, and in general, putting more focus into their music again. While the world is going through a lot of change, there are some artists in the industry who want to go big. Today’s spotlight goes to a band that makes you wonder what the true meaning behind becoming famous is. And have you ever wondered what that would look like?
Years Down
Have you ever heard of a garage band? Years Down should be the photograph of that definition in the dictionary. They have truly understood what it means to be one. Based out of the winter-like city, Denver, Colorado, the 5-piece punk-rock band has truly exploded within the Colorado music scene. With wild and titanic influences of bands like Green Day, The Offspring, Blink 182, and a whole range of diverse musical genres, the group features (drums) Ben Gonzalez, Dylan Beresford (Guitar) and John Nicholas (guitar), Griffin Mather (vocals), and Sterling Swanson (bass). Years Down began their first-ever performances in 2019 and have taken the pandemic harshness with an easy breeze by building and honing in on their sound to create their most accomplished works of art. Their first single, “Better Off” was released at the beginning of this year (February), followed by “Cover Girl” in June (2021) and “Best of Worst Times” (2021) which has sparked some incredible attention from the scene. It is no surprise that for a brand-new band, they have over 352 monthly listeners already on their Spotify with “Better Off” reaching over 6 thousand listens. They are without a doubt, in your face, energetic, honest, and the true understanding of punk-rock music. You will find that with each released song, there is the commonality of it being powerful, addictive, and perfect for a mosh pit. There is no doubt that Years Down will continue to soar and grow, despite being such a brand new face to the music scene.
Artwork by: Trevor Curry of Black Heart Designs
“Famous”
If there were three words to describe this song, it would be catchy, powerful, and energetic. The song starts off with a guitar riff that will get in your head so long, you’ll feel crazy. The drums add a solid and steady beat that will make you want to move and groove to the beat. The bass is the perfect balance between guitars and drums that bass should always provide. The first set of lyrics remind you of someone having a panic attack with the feeling of “I’m going to die! I can’t breathe!” thoughts that one might associate with it. The guitars are consistent and might even remind you of a song similar to the 2006 version of the Jonas Brothers. The lyrics ask several important questions that both a musician and someone going through a hard time would ask. It almost might remind you of someone going through a breaking point, checking their facts, and wondering how much more they are willing to endure to reach their goal. And is it even worth it? The song, “Famous” makes you wonder how much someone is willing to go through to become famous and wonder if they even feel worth it, once they achieve that goal. The build-up to the chorus makes you want to dance, yet re-evaluate some of your life choices both musically and lyrically. The chorus answers some of the questions asked in the verses and makes you feel sad for people in most industries trying to make something of themselves. The song is clear, powerful, energetic, thought-provoking, and overall, incredibly detailed and thought out. While lyrically, you might listen to this song to help you sort out some racing thoughts, musically, “Famous” is quite the opposite. Making you want to dance, move, have the instruments stuck in your head for hours upon hours, and in general, is fun. The vocals are in your face, powerful, and hit just the right notes. The lyrics are sung in both a melodic, yet speaker-like tone that you can truly understand each and every lyric that was written. Thus, the song overall is quite the nice balance and has a perfect contrast to each other, making “Famous” an incredibly underrated song of the year.
Overall
It is no surprise that Years Down is making moves in Denver, Colorado, and it would be no shock to anyone if Years Down did become famous. The band has once again proven their sound and truly mastered their craft at a young age, which is incredibly hard for most to do. “Famous” is the perfect and unique balance between thought-provoking and in-your-face fun. While sticking to their sound, the garage band has learned to adapt and has created yet another masterful song that is candy to your ears. Years Down the line (pun intended), it would now be clear that Years Down will have made history in the music scene by taking the pandemic in a new direction that will inspire future generations of musicians to do the same.
Written By: Blake Matthews (he/him)
