Young And Sexy Return For Christmas While Working On New Album

The last time we heard from Vancouver's Young And Sexy, they were touring their excellent Panic When You Find It album and continuing to remind the rest of Canada that the west coast has more than one sublime indie pop band with hooks to kill and a somewhat racy name.

That was deep in 2006, but Y&S are finally re-emerging, buoyed largely by the holiday season. In fact, it may be the reason they're playing again.

"I grew up listening to the Harry Belafonte Christmas album," says guitarist/vocalist Paul Pittman without a hint of irony. "Not too many people really know it, but I've probably listened to it more than any other Christmas record. He does a really great version of '12 Days Of Christmas.'"

Young And Sexy are part of the annual Mint Records Xmas Party, spread over Friday and Saturday nights at Vancouver's Railway Club, which also includes other local standouts Immaculate Machine, The Choir Practice, Bella, The Awkward Stage and The Buttless Chaps, among others.

"We have our own Christmas song ['Santa Claus Likes Rich Kids Better' from Mint's 2004 release, It's A Team Mint Christmas Vol. 2!], so we sometimes play that one," says Pittman when asked whether Y&S will be in a festive mood while deciding on their set list. "We tried to do 'Frosty The Snowman' once, but we never did it live because it was really goofy. I'd like to do 'Jingle Bell Rock,' but that will never happen."

Pittman is talking over the phone from the recording studio where he and the rest of the band are hopefully nearing the completion of their follow-up to Panic When You Find It. With a tentative release date of sometime in April and a tentative album title (Sunrise On The Shazzie Bazzie) in mind, the Sexys are trying to push the boundaries with their new songs, while staying true to their timeless, classic pop sound.

"There are definitely a few songs that don't sound like anything we've done before," admits Pittman. "They haven't officially passed the test, though, so they're not quite on the record yet.

"And they're probably the most debated songs amongst the band right now. One of them is an instrumental, and it's a little classical-sounding. It sort of sounds like it has a bit of Stravinsky in it. There are some camps within the band that are for it and some that are not. But it's turning out really cool."

Lest any Young And Sexy fans panic that their beloved popsters are drastically changing their overall sound, fret not. Pittman assures that the new album will still be a very Young And Sexy-sounding record.

"Yeah, it's still me and [vocalist] Lucy [Brain] singing, and there's still some two-part harmonies and catchy pop songs."