X-Ray Youth
All Washed Up
(Rakka Rakka Records)
X-Ray Youth is a band with an unusual history. Johnny Void and the Others started in 1994 in Tavares, Florida and after taking a brief hiatus from music, Void went on to create X-Ray Youth in the spring of 1997. Switching away from his punk roots, X-Ray Youth would focus more on a traditional rock sound. With bassist Ryan Johansen and drummer Derrick Haggerty added in the fall of 1997, Void would continue with X-Ray Youth through August of 1998, releasing just one album.
Fast forward a couple of decades to 2021. Johnny Void records a song for Rakka Rakka Records’ tribute album Chad’s Very First Tribute Record. X-Ray Youth’s cover of All About Chad’s “Chad’s Got an Earring” started with a straightforward indie pop song and they infused their signature punk rock energy, turning what could be a Counting Crows b-side into something that would make Green Day proud.
Johnny Void decided to go back into the studio under the X-Ray Youth banner to finish their unreleased 2nd studio album, All Washed Up. In a lot of ways, the album circles around the themes of opposites and duality. Originally written back in the winter/spring of 1998 the 9 song LP is both reminiscent of the late 90’s and at the same time manages to feel very fresh. The band is great at taking the standard ingredients of vocals/guitar/bass/drum and offers up a wide range of tracks. From the power pop of opener “Oh, The Guilt” to the high-energy closer “Platonic Friend,” X-Ray Youth covers a lot of territory over the course of the album. Void’s singing morphs depending on the needs of the particular song. Occasionally gentle like a Yo La Tengo track, the vocals are often a stark contrast to the fuzzy guitars and driving rhythm section. And just when you think you’ve got your finger on the signature sound for X-Ray Youth, things take a sharp turn and suddenly you’re listening to a bold vocal/drum-only cover of “And You Tell My” by 80’s Norwegian new wave band A-ha. Even the artwork presents a stark contrast; the name X-Ray Youth over a photo of a gentlemen well-past his youth. At the end of the day, All Washed Up sounds like an album made by musicians who love making music and we’re just lucky that they finally shared it with us. Who knows what the future holds for X-Ray Youth, but hopefully we won’t have to wait another 24 years for more.
Highly recommended.
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