No title could be more appropriate than Youth City Fire for The Narrator's debut EP on Chicago's Flameshovel Records. Recorded by Greg Norman (Guided by Voices, 90 Day Men, Detachment Kit), the disc's five tracks capture the energy of youthful discontent without relying solely on volume and speed.

While expressions of angst are certainly not anything new, The Narrator's vocals seem to express the frustration life's dealings better than most. Sam Axelrod and Jesse Woghin manage to achieve an air of detachment while also conveying great emotional frustration. This detachment and frustration come at a price, however, and it is often difficult to discern the lyrics, but the moments clear enough to understand are filled with feelings everyone has gone through at some point.

From closing track, "The Electric Slide":
This is for when your hmetown
Seems so far away
Stuck in this place

This is for when your friends
Seem like strangers
Stuck in this place

If The Narrator can continue with what they've accomplished on Youth City Fire as they go on to record a full-length, they'll definitely be in contention for one of the top ten records of the year on my list.