Most bands focus—understandably—on the negative aspects of life and love. After all, it’s that stuff that so often gets the creative juices flowing, that necessitates a cathartic release through song. Dark days are nothing new to Albany, New York trio Young Culture, but the band—vocalist Alex Magnan and guitarists Gabe Pietrafesa and Troy Burchett—don’t want to wallow in those. Instead, with the 10 songs that comprise their new full-length You Had to Be There, they deliberately look forward rather than back.
The result is a record of after-the-party anthems. The band aren’t afraid to reference and pay homage to the pop artists they love, either. There are, for instance, references to the Backstreet Boys and Ashlee Simpson in the jaunty melancholy of “Tattoo,” but while there are certainly pop hooks a-plenty here, musically, You Had to Be There falls most often between Third Eye Blind and Fall Out Boy, albeit with Young Culture’s own unique twist. It makes for a record which runs the gamut of human emotions, but which might make you feel one way when you’re actually feeling (or meant to be feeling) the exact opposite.
With the record out today, Magnan takes us through it all, track by track.
1. “Not in Love”
We’re not in love, we just need someone. Whether it’s friendship, hooking up, getting drunk together, or whatever, we all deserve to have someone. Don’t sit around wondering why you’re all alone—get up and be someone. Don’t let life pass by and regret not giving yourself, and other people, a try.
2. “Kinda Over It”
This one’s for my people who are in that relationship that’s not quite a relationship...or is it? Who knows, we’re all just kinda over it. The back and forth, the shadiness, the unnecessary tryst. If you’re done being led on, or leading someone on, you’ll get it.
3. “Tattoo”
Scar me like a tattoo. This is about that person who may be leaving or out of your life, but who you know will always have a looming impression on you. This one was one of the last songs we wrote together in the studio.
4. “Different Now”
I got to write this song with one of my childhood heroes, another Filipino artist named Jesse Barrera, and that meant a lot to me. The connection was special and resulted in us writing one of the most Young Culture–esque songs on the album. This is about relationships changing with time, distance, and emotions.
5. “We’re on Fire”
We were eager to write a song inspired by dance music, but make it a Young Culture song. This one’s about just letting it happen, putting pride aside and having a good time.
6. “Silver Lining (Put It on Me)”
We’re only so important ’til we lose our shine. This is an anthem for the people who have felt used or taken advantage of. It’s also about growing up and realizing that not everyone is surrounding you for the right reasons. Some people want to use you up until you have nothing and leave you high and dry. There’s no silver lining in relationships like that.
7. “Whiskey”
In the past years, the three of us have found a lot of inspiration in elements of country music. This song fills that spot for us and is a standout track on the album. Heartbreak, pain, sorrow. Sometimes life is like a shot of whiskey—just hard to swallow.
8. “Good Karma”
"Good Karma” is our love letter to New York. It’s about late nights with friends, wandering the streets, subway stations, and dive bars ’til the early morning. It’s also about having so much faith in a city you love to make you happier, but in the end it’s just a place.
9. “Know Better”
I think a lot of people can relate to this one. It’s a perfect song to begin wrapping up the party that is this album. This is about being at the function but wanting nothing more than to escape and go home with the one person you want to be with. Why do we keep going out when we know that all we want to do is stay home, watch a movie, and order takeout? How can we make our exit so we can get home and be alone together ASAP?
10. “Serendipity”
Serendipity is the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. I really do look at life like it’s gonna pan out that way, but sometimes it takes more than that. We can wait around for good things to happen, but if we’re doing nothing to better ourselves or continuing our destructive ways, we can’t expect to improve.
