Young Antiques are an indie rock and pop power trio from Atlanta. The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Blake Rainey, bassist and vocalist Blake Paris, and drummer John Speaks. Rainey describes their live shows as “loud and energetic, sweaty and emotional, the way a good rock ‘n roll show should be.”
The two founding Blakes, Rainey and Paris, grew up together in Cedartown, Georgia, making music with each other since they were 11-year-olds. John Speaks joined to form the trio in the early 2000s, which has held steady since releasing five full-length albums.
As a songwriter, Rainey cites influences like Nick Lowe, Neil Young and Elvis Costello, and like those bastions of songsmiths, he often mines unusual topics for inspiration in his lyrics.
“I try to write lyrics about subjects that haven’t been overly explored, like a love song that takes a different avenue in order to make it your own,” Rainey says. “Sometimes you gotta write a song that’s been explored pretty well. The trick is making it unique, making it sound like you, and not like somebody else.”
The featured track “Armies in the Alley” spins a story of two lovers on the run in a dystopian future, ducking into alleys to evade the henchmen of their authoritarian overlords — Rainey calls it a “film noir barroom ballad.”
