Take a Vacation!

Take a Vacation!
Studio album by The Young Veins
Released June 8, 2010
Recorded June 2009–September 2009 at Castle Oak Studios in Los Angeles, California
Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, California
Genre Rock, garage rock, psychedelic rock, indie rock
Length 29:06
Label One Haven Music
Producer Rob Mathes, Alex Greenwald
Singles from Take a Vacation!
  1. "Change"
    Released: April 5, 2010
  2. "Take a Vacation!"
    Released: May 18, 2010
  3. "Everyone but You"
    Released: May 28, 2010
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
BLARE Magazine [2]
Spin [3]
The Sound Alarm [4]
Review Rinse Repeat [5]
Lush Beat [6]
PopMatters [7]
Virgin Group [8]
Indie London [9]

Take a Vacation! is the debut album by American rock band The Young Veins, and the first musical project by Ryan Ross and Jon Walker after their departure from Panic! at the Disco.

Critics have compared the album's sound to the music of 1960s groups such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Searchers, and The Zombies,[1][2][4] and have noted its similarities to the earlier Panic! album Pretty. Odd.[7]

Production and marketing

While on tour with Panic! at the Disco in 2008, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker began writing songs intended for the band's third album, but after showing the other members the songs they were working on it became apparent that a split was occurring over the direction that the band wanted to go in.

On July 6, 2009, Ross and Walker departed from Panic! at the Disco. They soon gathered in Los Angeles and began recording the songs they had originally prepared for the next Panic! album. They were aided with the help of Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, who ended up producing seven tracks out of eleven, and Rob Mathes who produced four songs out of the album. He had also produced Pretty. Odd. with Panic! at the Disco.

On July 28, 2009, Ross and Walker announced their new band was entitled The Young Veins and premiered a new song, "Change", on their Myspace profile.

"Change" was released as their first official single on April 5, 2010, as a free download on their website and then became available a day later on iTunes.

Their next single, "Take a Vacation!", which is the title track off their debut album, was released on May 18, 2010.[10]

"Everyone but You" was released as their third single on May 28, 2010.

Several special box sets were made available exclusively for pre-order. One box set included a View-Master, with seven photos of the band. The box set also included a special lithograph image of the band. Another box set included a vinyl copy of the album along with the CD version, the View-Master with pictures, the special lithograph, a beach towel, a beach ball, sunglasses, a beach bag and a personally-signed postcard from the band.[11]

On iTunes the album contains an exclusive bonus track entitled "Nothing Matters but You", which features Elizabeth "Z" Berg of The Like.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Ryan Ross and Jon Walker except where noted.

All songs were produced by Alex Greenwald except tracks 1, 2, 3 and 7 which were produced by Rob Mathes. 

No. TitleLead vocals Length
1. "Change"  Ross 2:31
2. "Take a Vacation!"  Ross 2:28
3. "Cape Town"  Ross 2:52
4. "Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won't"  Walker 2:24
5. "Young Veins (Die Tonight)" (Ryan Ross, Danny Fujikawa)Ross 2:19
6. "Everyone but You"  Walker 3:08
7. "The Other Girl"  Ross 2:56
8. "Dangerous Blues"  Ross 2:25
9. "Defiance"  Ross 2:44
10. "Lie to the Truth"  Ross 2:29
11. "Heart of Mine"  Ross & Walker 3:00

Personnel

The album was recorded before Ross and Walker recruited the other three members of the band. They played all of the parts listed below and were aided with assistance from friends.

The Young Veins
  • Ryan Ross – vocals, guitars, percussion
  • Jon Walker – vocals, guitars, bass guitars, percussion
Additional personnel
  • Alex Greenwald – backing vocals, lead guitars, bass guitars, wurlitzer, harmonium, stylophone, percussion
  • Eric Ronick – backing vocals and keyboards
  • Than Luu – backing vocals, drums, percussion
  • Jason Boesel – drums and percussion (on "Lie to the Truth")
  • Z Berg – guest vocals (on "Heart of Mine" and "Nothing Matters but You")
  • Michael Runion – guest vocals (on "Heart of Mine")
  • Danny Fujikawa – guest vocals (on "Heart of Mine")
  • Michael Fujikawa – guest vocals (on "Heart of Mine")

Recording team[12]
  • Rob Mathes – producer at Castle Oak Studios
  • Alex Greenwald – producer at Sunset Sound Studios
  • Kevin Harp – engineer and mixing
  • Joshua Blanchard – assistant engineer at Castle Oak Studios
  • Morgan Stratton – assistant engineer at Sunset Sound Studios
  • Fred Kevorkian – mastering

Release history

Country Date
United States June 8, 2010
United Kingdom July 5, 2010

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Allmusic review".
  2. 2.0 2.1 "BLARE Magazine review". BLARE Magazine.
  3. Barry Walters. "SPIN Magazine review".
  4. 4.0 4.1 Jo Otero (June 9, 2010). "Album Review: The Young Veins - Take A Vacation!".
  5. Denis Simms (June 12, 2010). "The Young Veins - Take A Vacation! Review".
  6. Chelsea Baird (June 8, 2010). "The Young Veins "Take A Vacation" - Review".
  7. 7.0 7.1 Ryan Reed (June 16, 2010). "The Young Veins: Take a Vacation! Review".
  8. Jonathan Brown (June 30, 2010). "The Young Veins album review - Take A Vacation". Virgin Group.
  9. Jack Foley. "Take A Vacation - Review".
  10. Next Single,Take A Vacation!. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  11. "Take A Vacation! Pre-Order Options". Facebook. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  12. "THE YOUNG VEINS – Release Debut Take A Vacation! – Out June 8". OneHavenMusic. 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2010-05-23.