1. Who is the band? What is their history? What motivates them?
“YAM, formerly called "You & Me," is an all-original Dallas, TX progressive rock, indie band that is driven to become the 501st greatest band of all time. Rocky, punky and intense, but peppered with melodic undertones and fun atmospheric touches, YAM is a great accompaniment to your library if you like bands like Pavement, The Damned, The Who and Ween” (Yamband.com, 2009.)
2. Why did they make this album? What was the passion or message that forced them to produce what they have? Or, simply what was their motivation for the themes they chose for this album?
Their latest album.
3. What message are they delivering through their lyrics and music?
1. Alright Armageddon – Straight ahead rocker with some cool guitar riffs, drums, synth effects and a xylophone.
2. Gaseous Clay – Cool sound effects to open this one. Sound is very spacey then some strings and vocals. Kinda of a Steve Miller sound to the vocals. Very similar to his early work on Brave New World/Children of the Future in the middle, then more like the B-52’s towards the end.
3. Dreamland – Heavy guitar and vocals supported by drums. Straight ahead rock n roll. This may be as close as they come to a Who sound.
4. Kiss – Slow acoustic opening with vocals and drums. Has kinda of a country sound with harmonica.
5. Kodiak Camera – Another straight ahead rocker only this time with heavier guitars.
6. Make Time for Hugging – Spacey intro with organ and synths. “The hour is late and I’m getting bored…” Then a hiccup sound when saying the word hugging. Rolling guitars, organ and a Tenacious D sounding fun song.
7. Stone’s Throw Away from Beer – Spacey synth effects and slow strum guitar, then drums. Synthesized vocals and heavier guitars. Mostly instrumental with an occasional refrain of the title.
8. Responsible Person – Another straight ahead rocker, with the title repeated endlessly. Some sound effects synths and heavier guitars in the middle. Then back to the beginning.
9. Falling Rockstar – Guitar, drums and vocals. Vocals, repeating the title again and again with some guitar riffs thrown in and a cowbell at the end.
10. The Man Who Invented Syphilis – Rock n roll song repeating the title with some more lyrics added this time, along with guitar and drums.
11. The Great Molasses Disaster of 1919 – Nine minute epic starts off with organ, guitar and a spaghetti western theme. A story within a song about a day in Boston when a molasses tank exploded and flooded part of the city. Easily the best song on the album. Cool blues harmonica near the end. You can read about it here
12. 12 Nights of Terror – Synth effects open this one up. Mostly talking and video game – like sounds along with guitar and cowbell. Then the synths and effects begin to sound ominous. Synthesized vocals sounds and surrounding spacey synths. Over nine minutes of brooding synths and sound effects.
4. Does this music improve, change, or add to the genre? What does the listener receive from listening to the music?
Different sound and feel but mostly straight ahead rock.
5. Does it have longevity? Is it something a fan will like to play again and again?
This is probably the one and only time I’ll listen to it.
Rating: 3/10 – I just felt no connection to this. Only the Molasses song and the history it presented saved this from 1 out of 10.
Reviewed by Prof on September 9th, 2009
