Trevor Powers of Youth Lagoon delves into his past with his genre-blending seventh album, 'Rarely Do I Dream.'
‘Rarely Do I Dream’ – Youth Lagoon
Core memories—those familiar spaces we revisit as echoes of our former selves—are integral to our identity. As we gaze into the past through the smudged glass of nostalgia, we witness treasured childhood experiences from a safe distance, often longing to relive them. Idaho native Trevor Powers, the singer and producer behind the Youth Lagoon name, is well-acquainted with this sentiment.
After discovering a shoebox full of home videos in his parents' basement, Powers recognized he had stumbled upon a treasure. He dedicated a week to sorting through the footage and recording his favorite moments off the screen. Reflecting on the experience, Powers recalls, "When I brought the tapes home and played the first one, it was my brother Bobby and I at the state fair. I was just four years old, nearly choking on a corn dog." He chuckles, adding, "If anything summarizes life, that’s it."
Powers grasps the ironic essence of life on a profound level. Following a severe reaction to over-the-counter medication in 2021 that left him unable to speak and reliant on writing to communicate, he feared he might never find his voice again. During this challenging period, he embraced a newfound faith in God, marking a significant shift in his perspective on life and music.
The past few years for Powers have been dedicated to rediscovering his voice—both literally and metaphorically. Youth Lagoon's 2023 album, Heaven is a Junkyard, marked his return to music, a sort of homecoming. Now, with the release of his latest album, Rarely Do I Dream (via Fat Possum Records), it appears Powers is embracing a phase of reinvention, allowing himself the freedom to experiment while remaining anchored to his essence.
Regarding the new album, Powers states, "Whenever I’m terrified and teetering creatively, I realize I’m on the right path. I need that sensation of potentially creating the best work I’ve ever produced or something so dreadful it could derail my career. Anything less than that would mean I've let myself down."
Rarely Do I Dream – Youth Lagoon
Balanced, nostalgic, innovative—these words emerge when describing Rarely Do I Dream. It offers a cinematic listening experience from start to finish, standing apart from any other work.
The opening track, "Neighborhood Scene," is remarkably vivid in its energy. Like many tracks on the album, it incorporates audio snippets from Powers’ home videos, intricately stitched into the music. With its haunting vocals, pulsating drums, and ethereal piano melodies enhanced by shimmering synths, the song feels alive, pulsing with vitality. It creates a space where the listener can accompany Powers through the journey of his most vivid recollections.
“Do I, do I belong in a country house?
Every angel and devil
out marching on the lawn
Do I, do I tell Tom
that I saw his dad at the
‘No Romance’ bunny match?
Cowgirl ain’t his mom”
– “Neighborhood Scene,” Youth Lagoon
Although Powers' songwriting is complex, it allows ample room for interpretation. His lyrics seldom dictate how the listener should feel, as he presents himself as the narrator of his own stories, leaving it to us to assemble the fragments as we see fit. Straddling the line between reality and fiction, Powers allows listeners to discern what is authentic and what is imagined, making space for us to find ourselves within his narratives.
In "Seersucker," a highlight on the album, Trevor Powers skillfully transforms personal experiences into universal themes. With piano-driven arrangements that gradually intensify in richness and grit, "Seersucker" has a breathtaking quality. While the subject matter is quite serious, the song doesn’t convey hopelessness; instead, it explores enduring aspects of youth, such as the profound impact of one's first encounter with grief. It is a subtle, deeply affecting tale of love and loss.
“Every song that Mama wrote,
Pop learned to play
When the old piano broke,
the music went away
Cold revolver in his coat
killed Jesse James
Jesus Christ, we’re doing alright,
we’re doing alright”
– “Seersucker,” Youth Lagoon
Music serves as a doorway—either leading us back to a bygone era or into a new realm. With Rarely Do I Dream, Powers invites us to step with him through that door. For a fleeting moment, we recapture our youth and view the world through renewed eyes. In this curated space by Powers, nothing is definitively good or bad; everything simply exists.
When discussing the album's purpose, Powers shares, “I aimed to create an album that embodies life itself.” It’s safe to say he achieved precisely what he intended
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Trevor Powers of Youth Lagoon delves into his history in his seventh album, ‘Rarely Do I Dream,’ which blends various musical genres.