Maui Beat

Young the Giant

Rock group bringing ‘Something to Believe In’ to MACC

One of America's hottest contemporary indie rock bands, Young the Giant has developed a novel way to promote the group's music, by creating a video series of "In the Open," stripped-down versions of songs filmed mostly in nature.

For their latest creation, they adapted "Nothing's Over," one of their most recent album's catchiest songs. Sitting around a dining table, the group begins acapella led by lead singer Sameer Gadhia, before adding guitars and finally injecting found percussion using cutlery and even a salt shaker. It's executed quite brilliantly.

"We were right next to Boulder, Colorado, and had found some great forest and mountain scenes," explains the band's drummer, Francois Comtois. "We were staying in an Airbnb and the lighting was so cool, I thought we could try and use the house itself as an environment. It was a good-sounding salt shaker."

Since the release of its acclaimed self-titled debut album, the band began adding to its online presence with the "Open" series.

"We had seen different takes on the idea with stripped-down versions of songs which allow songs to shine on their own," Comtois recalls. "We were touring and burning through the Utah salt flats, a very stark environment, and we pulled to the side of the road to see if we could get a decent recording. The wind was crazy, but somehow it worked out. It was a cool concept."

Besides their ability to craft memorable music, the members of YTG are distinguished in that they comprise a melting pot of cultures. Singer Gadhia is Indian, drummer Comtois is French Canadian, bassist Payam Doostzadeh is Persian, and guitarists Eric Cannata and Jacob Tilley are Italian and British, respectively.

"It's something in the past that we didn't focus on," Comtois says. "As we aged and became more comfortable with the concept, it's become a source of strength for us. What you hear from your culture growing up is going to inform the way you create music."

Friends since high school who grew up in Southern California, for their first album they worked with Grammy-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli, whose credits include Elton John, the White Stripes and U2.

Featuring radio hits like "Cough Syrup" and "The Apartment," the group's debut album was praised in a Consequence of Sound review: "The California quintet boasts an average age of 21 and will, without a doubt, become giants when the world gets ahold of their self-titled debut. Seriously, it's that good."

Over in the U.K., pop legend Morrissey discovered it and flipped out. The singer declared, "I could break down with happiness at the debut CD by Young the Giant. The whole thing . . . is the perfect tone. And Sameer's voice is unbreakable."

"That happened when we had just got to the U.K. after 12 hours of travel and our visa wasn't in order and they put us in this detention center for a few hours," Comtois explains. "All of a sudden, we get the news that he had made this statement. It felt like a dream for someone of that stature to say that."

YTG followed up with another well-received album of soaring melodic rock, "Mind Over Matter," in 2014. The New York Times championed them, singling out "Sameer Gadhia, who has one of the great contemporary rock voices." While Rolling Stone praised: "When they nail the postmodern smash-up thing, it's explosive, inventive rock."

Last year, they released their most impressive, accomplished work, "Home of the Strange." Packed with passionate, memorable tunes that you can't get out of your head, it was hailed by some as one of the best albums of 2016.

"We feel so great about everything on there, from start to finish," says Comtois.

With another Grammy-winning producer on board, Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Bruno Mars), the band unleashed towering tracks like the grinding Bowie-ish "Jungle Youth" and the steamy INX-style funk rocker "Something to Believe In."

The album opened with the beautiful, brooding "Amerika," based on an unfinished Kafka novel.

"It resonated with our experiences in the last few years," says Comtois. "And it ended up being pretty apropos as far as the election season."

* Young the Giant plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului. Advance tickets are $30, $35 and $45 (plus applicable fees). Prices increase $5 for day-of-show sales. Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or by visiting www.mauiarts.org.

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Another great loss with the death of Hawaiian legend Eddie Kamae. This beloved musician, leader of the Sons of Hawaii, spent years helping perpetuate Hawaiian culture through his award-winning "Legacy" documentaries.

"We have a collective responsibility to safeguard Hawaii's fragile heritage," Kamae once emphasized. "I've seen some of the most beautiful things happen where everything was aloha. You can't sell aloha. That's what's missing. My teachers always said to share with your heart. That's what keeps me going."

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Performing since 2005, Australia's Black Arm Band features a diverse collective of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal musicians who employ music as a vehicle for social change.

"We perform, promote and celebrate contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture," explains Black Arm Band producer Sarah Greentree. "The core group of vocalists are all Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, and the band is made up of a mix of white and black musicians. Black Arm Band sees itself as a living representation of reconciliation, bringing white and black artists together on stage to tell the stories of indigenous Australia."

The collective adopted its name as a form of political statement.

"It's a cheeky appropriation of the phrase 'a black armband view of history,' which references an ongoing political debate about Australia's colonial past that reached a crescendo in the '90s," says Greentree.

The black armband view of history was a phrase first used by an Australian academic criticizing the view that Australian history since 1788 has mostly been a shameful story of imperialism, exploitation and racism.

"A black armband view of history in this context refers to the notion of mourning or grieving over past injustices, particularly with regards to indigenous Australians," Greentree continues.

Heading to the Castle Theater on Jan. 19, the company will present "dirtsong," its most successful show. A fusion of traditional and contemporary music set against a backdrop of visuals shot around Australia, it was inspired by the writing of indigenous author Alexis Wright.

"It's a celebration of indigenous language, culture, spirit and the land," she notes. "It also makes a statement about the loss of so many Aboriginal languages and, in an attempt to revive them, is sung in 11 languages from across the country."

"This is music to send shudders down your spine and bring tears to your eyes," praised Australia's The Age.

Black Arm Band's previous shows have included "Murundak" and "Hidden Republic." They have also been involved in critically acclaimed concerts such as "Notes from the Hard Road and Beyond," which also included Mavis Staples and Rickie Lee Jones; and "Seven," which celebrated artists like Prince, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, performed by musicians including Sinead O'Connor, John Cale and Meshell Ndegeocello.

"Though we call ourselves a band, it's probably more correct to say that it's a collective of artists from across the country with the lineup ever-changing, incorporating living legends and newcomers," Greentree says.

Touring around the world, last year they presented shows in New Zealand, Brazil, England and Malaysia.

"We share the stories and heart of indigenous culture with audiences worldwide in the spirit of resilience, understanding, hope and reconciliation," Greentree concludes. "We want them (audiences) to have a great night and to walk away with a better understanding of the culture and spirit of Australia's first people."

* Black Arm Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in Castle Theater at the MACC. Tickets are $35 (plus applicable fees) and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or by visiting www.mauiarts.org.

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Hawaiian musician Lei'ohu Ryder will team with Maydeen 'Iao for a concert tonight at 7 at the Makawao Union Church that will draw from two decades of recordings.

Describing her music as "contemporary Hawaiian music from a very ancient source," Ryder explains that her songs "represent sacred places and people. They are the images of wind or love, of aloha and light. Whether you're Hawaiian or not, it links you to these things." Accented with hula and ukulele playing by 'Iao, their concerts include joyful "sing-alongs."

Ryder's recordings include "Kukuipuka" (1998), "Lady of the Mountain" (2001) and her latest, "Ola Living . . . Banquet of Stars."

All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Aloha in Action organization, whose work includes preservation of the Kukuipuka Heiau.

* Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $35 cash only at the door.