About: YOUNG WIDOWS

All bands, with the possible exception of the Rolling Stones, break up. Some go on too long, some implode far too soon, and some return years later to relive former glories and pad their wallets with the cash of faithful fans. In the case of Louisville, Kentucky’s Breather Resist, the band took a less-direct route.

In early December 2005, Breather Resist amicably parted ways with singer Steve Sindoni, while the remaining three members – guitarist Evan Patterson, bassist Nick Thieneman, drummer Geoff Paton – planned to soldier on. The three decided they would play none of the songs they had recorded with Sindoni (including all the material from both the Charmer full-length on Jade Tree and the Only In The Morning EP on Deathwish) and would not replace him with a new singer. Instead, Patterson took over lead vocal duties, Thieneman took the mic for a few songs of his own, and the trio began diligently writing songs for a new album.

In April 2006, the band entered the studio with Louisville pal Chris Owens (Lords) engineering, and recorded 11 new songs, intended to be the second Breather Resist full-length. Once completed, the band realized this was not a Breather Resist album… This was an entirely new experience, a step away from and beyond their previous forays into brutal, noise-rock-inspired hardcore. They found themselves steeped in dark, brooding grooves and moody post-punk, yet this was their catchiest and most melodic material to date. This definitely was not a new Breather Resist album -- a new name and identity was due. Thus, they dubbed themselves Young Widows.

The DC/Chicago/Louisville connection has been long-standing triangle of similar ideas, ethics and sounds, and Young Widows keep that spirit alive. From the reverb-drenched inspiration of the Regulator Watts/Hoover family to the bass and drums lock-groove perfected by Shellac and the Jesus Lizard, Young Widows gladly wears influences on its sleeve (the song “Glad He Ate Her” even gives a knowing wink to the Jesus Lizard’s “Gladiator”). Of course, the inventive guitar work, a signature of Patterson’s bands throughout his years in Breather Resist, Black Cross and The National Acrobat, is still intact and at its peak here. The rhythm section of Thieneman/Paton lays down syrup-thick grooves, recalling the best of the ‘90s output from the Northeast U.S., and at times even British post-punk, ala Public Image Limited and Gang Of Four… But, hell, we don’t want to go too far… It’s basically solid, grooving, hypnotic, heavy noise-rock… The comparisons are for reference only. This is a new band, a new sound, a new idea: Young Widows, Settle Down City.

- RP