Though Santa Cruz native Christopher Youmans began his love of music with soul and gospel sounds, it was Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours that became his impetus into songwriting. Formal education in song craft followed for Youmans, and it wasn’t long before he explored the club scene in the East Bay in various bands. Now a Los Angeles resident, with The Sound Agency Youmans has birthed his first EP of funk, pop, rock, and soulful tunes.
If you’re a fan of hand clapping, the EP opener, “Taking Over Me,” has got you covered. The tune starts with Youmans’ strong pipes and infectious hand clapping, and later on horns and a catchy chorus punctuate the memorable soulfulness present. “Baby, Run” follows and is even more horn friendly, with a funky party vibe, a throwback feeling and even a horn solo. “Without Your Love” takes a turn into a more lush, almost cinematic atmosphere with backing vocals, keys and prominent percussion. It’s an emotive song, full of expressive singing and sweeping sounds.
The second half of the album progresses into the more pop-rock oriented “Make Things Right.” With a smooth and swift tempo, the song fits right in with today’s radio sounds with plenty of sing-along moments and melodic shuffling. The final two songs take another shift, starting with the piano ballad “I Won’t Go.” By far the most calm moment here, it’s moving and maudlin, and allows Youmans to showcase his falsetto. The shortest, quickest offering rounds out the brief listen with the ska-influenced “Hesitant,” which is tailor-made for the dance floor.
Though the core of the outfit is Youmans and multi-instrumentalist Colin Deas, there were clearly many other players involved in this very polished and well-delivered debut. This is an undoubtedly a band with a large following in their hometown, and with a release this strong it’s likely that success on the national and/or international platform is right around the corner.
