New Alt Rock: You Citizen + “Mind On”

Reviewsalt-rock

6 Sept

The American solo artist reveals more 90s-esque goodness

Alt-grunge band You Citizen cover art for Mind On

Beginning in 2023 as a solo project by songwriter Bill McElnea, You Citizen fuses 80s and 90s-influenced ideas with a unique yet nostalgic electro-garage feel. An “obsessive loyalist to melody and guitar hooks”, the artist contrasts stripped down programming with atmospheres of tension and urgency, grappling with relationships, yearning and self-doubt across his work.

After listening to a string of his other singles, the creative head-space of the artist is an interesting one. “Mind On” is potentially his strongest release, contributing massively to his brand of sound. If you’re partial to a late 70s to 90s-inspired alternative style invested with some electronica (think a hybrid of The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine), You Citizen is a very welcome, very fresh listen. There’s something in this type of sound that illustrates the complexity, mundanity, confusion and confidence of life all in its character alone, before you even take a deep dive into the lyrics. “Mind On” is thus, appropriately named - it’s stimulative quality is what gives it its allure, and tempts the listener to their own noetic journey.

Parceled into 3 minutes and 23 seconds, the single is a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other sort of a track. It’s well paced, humble and rather comforting. Now that we’re on the turn of a season, personally, this release couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s these type of singles that we relish the most - those that can sit on the fence between narrating the last of warm Summer nights to the cool, dark Autumn evenings full of thinking and human hustle and bustle. Overall, this song gets the big thumbs up. Get it into whatever playlist narrates your playlist of life, because we know it will fit perfectly somewhere.