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If there is one word to describe Youth Lagoon, it’s eclectic. The Idaho native, otherwise known as Trevor Powers, has become known for his wildly emotive and raw live shows, flamboyant makeup, and unique indie-rock-meets-pop sound, which he solidified with the release of his debut album, The Year of Hibernation (2011). 
Over the last several years, Powers experienced some extreme highs and severe lows. After releasing his second album, Wondrous Bughouse (2013), which received critical acclaim and rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork and NPR, Powers received news of the untimely death of one of his closest friends. The eccentric singer/songwriter subsequently cancelled all upcoming tour dates, proceeding to take a two year hiatus to self-reflect. That time of introspection gave birth to the songs that would form his next album, Savage Hills Ballroom.
Released on September 25th, Savage Hills Ballroom is an indie-rock record that is filled with the musings of growing up and feeling secluded or confined, while simultaneously exuding a sense of nostalgia and ambience. The Fat Possum release has already garnered accolades from SPIN, Under The Radar Magazine, and Pitchfork to name a few.
Noisey called the new record, “a gorgeously grim meditation on loneliness, isolation, and the barely concealed phoniness of the adult-world.”
But the artist has never been one to shy away from the hard truths of life displayed in his new album, as he explains in a quote from his biography.
“I’ve never truly felt comfortable. It’s this feeling of uneasiness that follows me everywhere I go because my thoughts never shut up,” Powers says. “It used to exhaust me, but I’ve learned discomfort is invaluable. Safety makes us numb. It’s when we find ourselves in territories we’re unfamiliar with that we can really grow.”
Now, in support of his new record, Youth Lagoon has embarked on his first tour ever since 2013 and is set to perform at Oxford’s Proud Larry’s on November 6th with special guest, Moon King.
Moon King is the name of the musical project of Toronto, Canada, natives, Maddie Wilde and Daniel Benjamin, who have been longtime best friends. Wilde and Bejamin first made a name for themselves with the release of their first EP Obsession I (2011). They further evolved sonically with their follow up EP,Obsession II (2013). In April 2015, the pair released their debut full-length LP, Secret Life, via Last Gang Records.
SPIN described Secret Life as “Dream-pop with fangs, packing their reverb-layered surfaces with punchy playing and swooning melodies.”
The duo’s style of alternative psychedelic pop has also garnered praise from publications like Dazed Digital and Fader, who described the band’s debut album as “awesomely psychedelic.” Pitchfork commented on the band’s new release saying, “Moon King deal with the inevitable sadness of existence by barreling through it with as much joy as possible.”
The band has also received accolades for their high-energy, captivating live shows from the likes of The Phoenix New Times as well as Brooklyn Vegan. 
