Maddie Conley
Online Editor
YOUTHFOOL, an 80s pop synth band from Philadelphia released their EP Show Me Your Love yesterday. Messiah got the first taste of this album on Wednesday as they performed for B-sides and went live on Pulse Radio.
Inspired by Tears for Fears, Michael Jackson and Stranger Things, Show Me Your Love stems from the talents of lead singer Josten Michael’s lyrical expertise. Songs are then “sugar-coated” by band members Dan Heatherly and Chris Barnes’ instrumental caramelization.
“There’s a new theme and feeling with this EP that’s different from our last music,” Michael said.
YOUTHFOOL agreed that as they’ve grown as a band, their music has aged as well. “It’s a maturation process, our stuff is becoming more mature,” Heatherly said.
YOUTHFOOL is interviewed on Pulse Radio. From left to right: Dan Heatherly, Josten Michael and Chris Barnes.
But don’t let that fool you, the band’s name is still relevant to their overall message of being young and “screwing up.” Michael’s bedroom serves as a lyrical reconstruction site — his past trials and failures showcase his journey in YOUTHFOOL’s lyrics.
This original and vulnerable quality to the band’s music is what they believe distinguishes them from similar bands such as LANY or The 1975. “We do a rawer [type of music], that’s probably why we haven’t blown up like them.”
Despite not having “blown up” yet, with the new EP and B-sides concert, YOUTHFOOL feels on the edge of something great. “Something just feels like it’s going to happen soon with us,” Michael said.
“We have somewhere we want to go and we aren’t going to stop,” Barnes said.
This proves true as the band is set to release more music in two weeks. Included in this will be a song they previewed at B-sides entitled “Creep.” The song was explained by the band as “Thriller meets Stanger Things” blending to give off a Halloween vibe.
With all the new music and a concert that Michael said, “we put more prep work into than we even did for our EP.” YOUTHFOOL doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. While the band has dreams of touring and selling out Wembly stadium, Michael will be happy with just getting to the point where he can put out the lead singer of The 1975, Matt Healy’s cigarette.
To listen to the full interview with YOUTHFOOL on Pulse Radio click here.