Citizens of YEAH! – Rectangle (2025)
Back in the late 1990s, the citizens of what would become Citizens of YEAH! made noise in the Peterborough music scene. Skip ahead a couple of decades, and the defunct noise-maker revived a raw passion for making music during the Covid lockdowns. What began as a fire, fell into embers, and when everyone had a lot to think about and do, Citizens of YEAH! poked at the musical fire until it was a roaring beast. Join us as we jump headfirst into their most recent release, ‘Rectangle’.
The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer Jonathan Womack, Citizens of YEAH! embrace the raw authenticity of DIY production – recording, composing, and creating music from a home studio. The new track ‘Rectangle’ took place following “…significant upgrades to the home studio, which resulted in a significantly more polished sound…” Yet, amidst the sophistication and elegance, the raw passion found in Citizens of YEAH!’s music remains, blending maturity with recklessness in the best possible way.
Following the critically acclaimed 2024 album, People’s Republic of Yeah, ‘Weird Year’ and ‘Rectangle’ both capture the energy, enthusiasm and ruggedness of live performances entwined with polished production. Contrary to the upbeat, fast-paced ‘Weird Year’, ‘Rectangle’ adopts a calmer, gentler, and less abrasive tone; however, as much as there is comfort and laidback soothing in ‘Rectangle’, the raspiness of guitars, crashing drums, and a bold bass remain.
Similarities to The Smiths and The Pixies in the raw production style of Steve Albini have ‘Rectangle’ dragging us back to the 1970s and 1980s post-punk scene. Interestingly, just as the melody is a step back in time, so is the timeless lyrical content. Executed in gruff vocals, ‘Rectangle’ seems calm with the raspy kick, but, while “…the song evokes religious tones, it is a homage to Brazilian revolutionaries…”
Emotional and evocative, with sincerity laced through the track, ‘Rectangle’ is a song that can be played in the background but stands out with prominence in the fore. Taken from their upcoming third album, I cannot wait to hear more from Citizens of YEAH!
Find out more about Citizens of YEAH! on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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