2002 - We Were Young and Needed the Money - CD

For ten years Idaho has been admired by fans and critics alike, though they've never hit the big time. To celebrate they’ve sent out a thank you in the form of We Were Young and Needed the Money. In these 17 tracks you’ll find outtakes, rarities, and plenty of other goods to keep you warm at night.

Organized more thematically than chronologically, We Were Young and Needed the Money takes you back as early as May 1992 and doesn’t let go until August 2000. Interestingly enough, they’ve paired the earliest and latest material at the end of the album, hinting at the idea of coming full circle in their sound. Idaho show great pride in having lasted so long and it’s a safe bet the songs hold just as much water today as when they were written. From the adolescent “Social Studies” to the space-fused melody of “Spiral” to the grinding of “Flat Top,” Idaho reflects a multitude of moods as a result of this visit to the vault. They end We Were Young… with the hypnotic “Drown,” a droning melodrama that serves as one last snapshot of the past, even as these boys continue to write music in the future.

With an ability to take it to both the slowcore and aggressive levels, Idaho should be able to look forward to living comfortable in semi-obscurity for yet another ten years. Visit Idaho Music.

Rob Heater

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