Terrorbird

In an era where the world seems to move at warp speed and incisive reflection is limited to the latest blog post, Montreal band Young Galaxy's songs remind us of the richness of our universal experiences ' from love and loss to despair and hope.

Invisible Republic, Young Galaxy's sophomore release, builds upon founding duo Stephen Ramsay (guitars, vocals) and Catherine McCandless' (keyboards, vocals) penchant for transforming the mundane into the fantastic ' catchy hooks build into epic crescendos, while political and ethical concerns share space with emotional observations.

Invisible Republic is the product of a long musical and personal journey for Ramsay and McCandless, who first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 2007 with their eponymous debut album, which included stunning first single 'Swing Your Heartache.' Following extensive touring across North America and Europe that saw Young Galaxy play alongside acts like Metric, The Frames, Peter, Bjorn and John, Death Cab For Cutie, and Stars, touring members of the band returned to various other concerns, leaving only bassist Stephen Kamp alongside Ramsay and McCandless.

McGill music grad and multi-instrumentalist Max Henry has since joined the Young Galaxy fold and currently fills the role of drummer in the band's live lineup. While Ramsay and McCandless continue to write most of Young Galaxy's material, both Kamp and Henry are now permanent additions to the band who contributed creatively to the new album (Kamp added vocals and keys, while Henry co-wrote the track 'Pathos' and arranged strings on two songs).

The ten indelible tracks on Invisible Republic were recorded over several months whenever the band was able to book time at both studios. Having made their first album entirely in the studio, the band decided to take a different approach for the new record, hoping to capture a fresh, live sound without extensive editing or studio trickery. They began working with engineer and studio co-owner Radwan Moumneh at Hotel 2 Tango, then completed sessions at Breakglass with Besnard Lakes frontman Jace Lasek (who also helped helm their debut).

Invisible Republic also features a constellation of guest turns, including former touring members Liam O'Neill (drums, guitars, vocals) and Stephen Durand (guitars, vocals), Besnard Lakes vocalist Olga Goreas, plus a string section featuring violinist Joshua Zubot.

Just as a republic is all about the public's participation in the state, the songs on Invisible Republic offer up Ramsay and McCandless' take on our current state of affairs ' for Young Galaxy, the political is personal, and vice-versa, from 'Disposable Times,' a wary look at where the human race is heading, to searing closer 'Firestruck,' which builds from a hushed intimacy into an epic emotional maelstrom.

The record's overall sound also reflects the band's outlook, from the shimmering synths of lead track 'Long Live the Fallen World' to the propulsive rhythms of hit-single-in-waiting 'Oh Sister.'

Light and dark, connection and loneliness, doubt and optimism ' Invisible Republic is the sound of our collective hearts beating in tandem, through both good times and bad. They may be a Young Galaxy yet, but they sing out with an ageless wisdom and tunefulness that bears close listening.

www.myspace.com/younggalaxy | http://paperbagrecords.com