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“A new chapter” is one of those phrases that almost has no meaning because of how often it gets used in just about every walk of life. But it’s hard not to lean on the metaphor when you’re talking about album releases.
Our favorite artist puts out a collection of songs, and we search for their growth or evolution (or lack thereof). To borrow from the literary world once more, it’s an opportunity for them to turn the page and do something more.
But what about when it’s chapter one? That’s where Orlando Peña & The Midnight Purchase find themselves, with debut full-length album Young and Naive set to drop this Friday, April 18. Although such an occasion tends to mark a beginning, the Milwaukee band has set it up to be more reflective — including the title track premiering today.
“It came about one day when I was feeling a bit low and questioning my decision to pursue music again,” Peña shared with us. “Rather than sit there in my mind and beat myself up, I decided to grab the guitar and sing my response to someone that might be going through the same insecurities.
“It's an attempt to assuage someone's fears, which really were just my own. It's urging you to look at the journey and ground you've gained rather than focus on the distance to the finish line.”
The approachable track has that comforting feel, although soft and gentle it is not. It’s closer to an arm around the shoulder while sitting with a good friend at your local watering hole — positive, upbeat and forward-looking through the lens of the past:
Yes, I know it gets lonely on this road
With such few milestones
But don’t lose hope
Can’t you see how far you’ve come?
Maybe you’ve already won
You’ve already won
Peña’s more-than-able vocals shine as usual, and the band as a whole meets that standard. Everything sounds tightly knit, with the lead guitar ringing out particularly crisp and clear over a solid bed of piano and percussion. Depending on where you’re at, it’s a pick-me-up or a kick-in-the-pants in song form, beaming with positivity.
Listen to “Young and Naive” anytime using the player at the top of the page, catch it on 88Nine throughout today (9:30 a.m.; 12:30, 4:30 and 8:30 p.m.), and find it on Young and Naive when the album comes out this Friday, April 18.
