Youthmovies

Youthmovies
Andrew Mears and Stephen Hammond of Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies on stage at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, in July 2004
Background information
Also known as	Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies, YMSS, Youm
Origin	Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Math rock (early years) Post-rock Progressive rock
Years active	2002–2010
Labels	Blast First Petite Drowned in Sound Try Harder Fierce Panda Vacuous Pop Quickfix
Associated acts	Pet Moon, Adam Gnade, Vertical Montanas, Jonquil, Hamm, Traktors, Hold My Hand I'm Dying, Foals, Bins Are For Bombs
Website	http://www.myspace.com/whyyoum
Past members	Andrew Mears Al English Stephen Hammond Samuel Hudson Scott Simon Jones Graeme Murray

Youthmovies (previously known as YMSS or Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies) were an English rock quintet active from 2002 to 2010. They comprised Andrew Mears (guitar and vocals), Al English (guitar), Graeme Murray (drums), Stephen Hammond (bass) and Sam Scott (brass and keys).

History

Simon Jones, drummer from the band Hope of the States, originally played drums in Youthmovies. However, just prior to Hope of the States being signed to Sony BMG in 2004, Jones was replaced by Graeme Murray.

Their early sound touched upon noise, brooding soundscapes, samples, feedback and drone, though their mini-album Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than the Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness and the subsequent single "Ores" suggested they were moving into a more ambitious and musically accomplished sound.

The band toured extensively with Hope of the States, Pioneers Press author Adam Gnade, 65daysofstatic and ¡Forward, Russia!. They also played at the Truck Festival,^[1][2] Latitude Festival, All Tomorrow's Parties,^[3] Bestival, Cambridge Film Festival^[4] and the Reading and Leeds festivals.

The band developed a reputation as a compelling live act, touring regularly as well as playing improvisations, collaborations and live film soundtracks in art galleries, theatres and forests.

In October 2007 the band released a 5-track CD EP in collaboration with Adam Gnade entitled Honey Slides on guitarist Al English's label Try Harder.

Between April and June 2007 the band recorded their first full-length album, Good Nature, at the Seamus Wong studio in Leicester, released on Drowned in Sound Recordings on 17 March 2008. Ant Theaker, former guitarist with Hope of the States, produced the album, which was mixed at the Strongroom Studios in east London, and mastered in Chicago by Bob Weston of Shellac. The album introduced "a new attention to melody"^[5] and was the first recording to feature the trumpet playing of Sam Scott.

In December 2009, the band announced that they had split. In March 2010 the band toured one last time in England and Scotland along with regular collaborator Adam Gnade.

Discography

Albums

• Good Nature (Drowned in Sound Recordings, released 17 March 2008)^[6]

EPs

• Let's Get Going... You're Fracturing Me With This Misery (Quickfix Recordings, 2003)^[7]
• Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than the Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness (Fierce Panda, August 2004^[8] / Re-pressed, 2005^[9])
• Honey Slides (Try Harder Records, collaboration with Adam Gnade released September 2007)^[10]
• Polyp (Blast First Petite (featuring guest spots by Adam Gnade and members of 65daysofstatic and Blanket released November 2008)^[11]

Singles

• "Ores" (Fierce Panda) (April 2005)^[12]

CDRs

• Homeless Musics I (October 2005)^[13]
• Homeless Musics II (2006)^[14]
• Homeless Musics III (2006)^[15]

References

External links

• Youthmovies at AllMusic
• 2007 Interview for the Cambridge Film Festival