Quick & Dirty: Young and Sexy - by Larissa Primeau - There seems to be a lot of creative bands coming out of Vancouver lately. Maybe it's that mountain air, the inspirational ocean or even just be the dreary, rain-soaked winters and the constantly changing spring weather that keep the musicians indoors and full of angst. Whatever it is, it seems to be working, and Vancouver-based band Young and Sexy is no exception. For those of you who are just meeting Young and Sexy, extend your arm and shake the hand of a five-piece band consisting of Paul Pittman (vocals, guitar), Lucy Brain (vocals), André Lagacé (guitar), Brent McDonald (bass) and Alex Brain (drummer). Their music is a mix of airy melodies, intense harmonies and sharp guitars, but make no mistake, this indie music has some balls. It's sweet, but not sugary. Paul Pittman and Lucy Brain are the kind of male/female combo that really works. Much like Stars or The Seedy Seeds, Young and Sexy have cracked that harmonious code whereby the duet sounds amazing rather than corny (if you're wondering what I mean by corny, just think anything by Meatloaf). Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Pittman and Brain were, at one time, a couple. When I ask Pittman about this he simply states, "Ya, we went out and it didn't work out, but we still remained friends." "How mature of you," I say. He lets out an infectious giggle. Paul Pittman is a talented musician and a really nice guy, a combination this industry could use a bit more of. For this friendly fellow, getting into the biz was a natural transition. "I grew up listening to music and had a friend who played the guitar. I picked it up and have been playing ever since," he explains. But his band's progression hasn't been quite as smooth. The original lineup included guitarist Colin McLean, but he moved on before their first album was ever recorded. At that point Ron Teardrop, keyboardist Ted Bois and bassist André Lagacé were brought into the fold, a lineup that was was together for about two years until, in 2004, Bois and Teardrop left the group. With regards to the band's evolution Pittman says, "With the first lineup, there was a lot of tension. It's now more relaxed and everyone enjoys it. It's a really good vibe now and everyone loves practicing which is a really good thing." Like so many bands, Y and S haven't had an easy road, but they've managed to stay together and make music regardless. And it only creates more anticipation for their upcoming release. Young and Sexy will release their fouth studio album on May 13 with Mint Records. Interestingly, it was originally going to be called "Sunrise on the Shazzie Bazzie" and, of course, I had to ask what this means. "Nothing really. It was just a stupid name we came up with," Pittman clarifies. "We decided not to go for it because not everyone went for it. The new album is called The Arc. We pretty much just had one day to come up with a name and we thought The Arc sounded light." If their last three albums are any indication of what we can expect from this next one, we're in for a treat. Their debut Stand Up for Your Mother (2002), second album Life Through One Speaker (2003) and their last release, Panic When You Find It (2006) have all been positively received and, at the risk of using a buzz-word … well, there's been a real "buzz" about them. This attention is yet to affect a down-to-earth guy like Pittman who just wants to make music. "Well, we're not ready to quit our day jobs yet. I work at City Hall in Vancouver. My job is to figure out residential parking problems. It would be nice to sell more records and tour on our own at some point," he says. As for plans, "Maybe we'll tour Europe this summer or early fall. We're not really sure yet. New York is an amazing place to play," he suggests. "I think that Spain would be a pretty amazing place to play." Pittman isn't loud or aggressive, but you just know that he will accomplish these goals. There is a determination in his voice and his demeanor that comes across as a quiet confidence. If you have yet to hear anything by Young and Sexy, it certainly won't be long. I feel that this is a Canadian band that we're going to be hearing a lot more of, at home and abroad.