Fingers Entwined made me think about good taste, a slightly dangerous compliment in a record review. Young Allies favour arrangements where each instrument occupies a clean space and each song stays close to conversational volume. Their debut EP is polished and extremely well behaved. I admired that discipline immediately, then grew curious about its limits. By the second listen, I was waiting for one choice capable of disturbing the smooth surface.
I braced for theatrical flourish when I read Fritz Michel’s credits. He has worked as an actor, director and dramaturg across theatre, film and television, studied history at Yale and released music under his own name. Fingers Entwined keeps its gestures small. Michel sings with precise diction, the arrangements remain compact, and the writing leaves room for the other musicians. Nearly every member of Young Allies contributes vocals, giving the choruses a breadth that separates this project from Michel’s solo work.
His references could fill a fairly eccentric reading list. Medieval Provençal song appears beside Robert Frost, double-exposed Polaroids by Natalie White and Chuck Berry. I expected those sources to dominate the EP. Within a few minutes, melody had taken precedence. Michel places the ideas inside concise rock songs and leaves their origins available for anyone curious enough to investigate. The literary background enriches the writing, while the listening experience remains immediate.
A residency at LIC Bar in Long Island City gave Young Allies time to revise the material across successive performances. The finished versions reflect that preparation through clean transitions and economical arrangements. Quiet passages use open space, brighter sections expand quickly, and changes in tempo arrive smoothly. The musicians sound thoroughly rehearsed, while the performances retain a casual pulse.
My favourite arrives when the EP lowers its pace. Watchman initially registered as a graceful pause after the brighter opener. On a later listen, Michel’s phrasing became the detail I remembered most clearly. He softens the ends of his lines and allows the sparse backing to expose each phrase. The medieval source adds useful context, though the attraction comes from the performance itself. Michel carries the melody with calm assurance, and the song rewards close attention through small changes in emphasis. Among the original tracks, this one makes the strongest impression.
The title song works faster. Fingers Entwined has a sunny rock-and-roll rhythm and a cheerful chorus lifted by full-group backing vocals. Its hook arrives easily, the rhythm stays buoyant, and the band sounds comfortable inside the arrangement. I enjoyed it straight away. The song gives the EP a welcoming opening and introduces the lighter side of Michel’s writing.
That brightness returns at the end through You Never Can Tell. A Chuck Berry cover on a debut EP carries an obvious risk because the song already arrives with a famous groove and decades of cultural familiarity. Young Allies handle it with affection and genuine enjoyment. They play it as a closing number meant for a room full of people, keeping Berry’s humour buoyant and allowing the rhythm to do most of the work. The performance has an appealing looseness, and I would gladly hear them play it live. What looks like a safe choice becomes the EP’s liveliest moment.
Are You In gives me greater pause. Its piano opening creates an immediate cinematic pull and promises a deeper change in atmosphere. The later build follows a familiar route. I waited for a rhythmic jolt, an unexpected instrumental entrance or a wider shift in scale. Michel’s measured delivery sustains the reflective mood, and the arrangement remains carefully handled. The song is appealing, though its second half reveals where the band’s polish begins to limit surprise.
A tougher question arrives with Are You In. Its piano opening creates a convincing cinematic pull and promises a deeper change in atmosphere. The later build follows a familiar route. I waited for a rhythmic jolt, an unexpected entrance or a wider shift in scale. Michel’s measured delivery sustains the reflective mood, and the opening remains effective. I am still deciding whether the reserve belongs to the design or marks the point where the arrangement settles too early. Either reading leaves the second half as the clearest area for development on a future release.
After several listens, my verdict is clear: Fingers Entwined is a good debut, and I would recommend it. I admire its intelligence, enjoyed its lightness and found greater detail on repeated plays. Its caution costs it some memorability, though the strongest moments rise comfortably above that reservation. Young Allies have begun with purpose. Next time, I want a little mess.
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