Music creates feelings. Be it intentional or not, a song can often bring listeners to the highest high or the lowest low. Most songs, however, leave us somewhere in between. While some musicians choose to ignore the fact that their music might impact the mood of those who hear it, the four ambitious young men who make up Young Rising Sons fully embrace it. They actively seek to evoke a very specific emotion among those who listen: joy.
At a time when cynicism and moral outrage are quite common in modern music, Young Rising Sons choose to focus on the brighter side of life. According to lead singer Andy Tongren, the Red Bank, New Jersey band’s debut album, Highway Town, was created with the intention of writing a “soulful pick-me-up, an honest account of life’s ups and downs, all with a glimmer of hope.” Tongren adds that the recently released single “High” is the perfect example of the “feel good disposition” that shapes Young Rising Sons’ view on life and music.
Tongren matter-of-factly rationalizes the band’s approach of writing with the listener in mind: “Music is here to make people feel something, so why not try and make people feel good?” Tongren describes “High” as a “song about letting go and enjoying the better times in life.”
Staying true to that mantra, Tongren and band-mates Dylan Scott, Julian Dimagiba, and Steve Patrick firmly believe that the best music is inspired by personal experiences. As a result, the video for “High” was filmed right in their own backyard. Tongren explains: “It made sense to shoot “High” in Red Bank, by the ocean. We wanted to film it where we spend our time together.”
Like most young bands on the rise, Young Rising Sons have benefited from the counsel of wiser, more experienced industry experts. Shep Goodman and Aaron Accetta of Dirty Canvas Music discovered Young Rising Sons in 2013. Goodman and Accetta contributed to the band’s development by adding lyrical and arrangement ideas for Highway Town and scheduling the recording sessions in Brooklyn and upstate New York.
Tongren sums up what he believes to be the value in working with Dirty Canvas Music, while also commenting on the current state of mind of Young Rising Sons: “We always knew as a band that we could have something special, but Shep and Aaron helped us find the missing ingredients. Whether it’s a lyric, melody, or general feel of a song, they have helped breathe new life into Young Rising Sons.”
After playing together for several years, Young Rising Sons have grown into their current sound. Tongren explains the roots of that sound: “We grew up with The Beatles, The Temptations, and Bruce Springsteen. I believe our songs walk the line between avant-garde and pop, blending influence from those acts.”
It should come as no surprise that each of those artists, in their greatest moments, incited more than their share of sheer joy.