Pop-punk trio Young & Divine ready self-titled debut

February 3rd, 2010

Grant Trimboli

Albany pop-punk trio Young & Divine have weathered enough ups and downs during their two-year career to trade war stories with bands three times their age. But JP Clark, 23 (vocals/bass), Jake Mai, 23 (guitar/vocals) and Joe Bortscheller, 22 (drums) channeled every drop of experience into their irresistible, melodically stellar, upbeat self-titled RCA debut set for release in spring 2010. The album is a welcome blast of positive energy and amped-up rock that isn’t afraid to get serious, too.

Young & Divine independently recorded their self-titled debut release with Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom (Cartel) at Atlanta’s Tree Sound Studios, where the trio became acquainted with the pleasures of a 24-hour beer keg and jam-packed 12-hour workdays. But most importantly, their super-charged choruses, powerful guitar lines and ear-grabbing melodies got hammered into the final 13 songs for the album.

“’Shake That Bubble” is about going to a club and it’s your spot, you’ve got the hook up,” Clark says of the group’s dancey first single, where synths and a bouncy beat complement a barrage of guitars. “And it’s also about what girls do at clubs – or what we’re hoping they do.”

Watch Young & Divine’s infectious debut video for “Shake That Bubble” and head over to YoungandDivine.com for exclusive updates, more videos and a free album sampler track.