Issues with modern youth’s reliance on technology are being countered by a trend in do-it-yourself projects with the “Take It!” movement.
In today’s society, it is a common truth that nobody likes being told what to do, regardless of whether it is welcome advice, constructive criticism, or positive motivation. This sentiment is especially prevalent in the realm of rock & roll music. New Haven punk band, The Problem With Kids Today, faced this dilemma while working on their album “Born To Rock” at Q Division Studios in Cambridge, Mass. After completing their first tour, the band members – guitarist Tate Brooks, multi-instrumentalist Silas Lourenco-Lang, and drummer Renna Yu, who also share vocal duties – decided to take control of their music-making process. This decision led to the creation of their latest album, “Take It!”, released on August 22 under their own label, In The Shed Records.
The idea for the label stemmed from the unconventional recording location of the new album, a shed in Branford that Brooks and Lourenco-Lang had built in 2017 and turned into a rehearsal space. Despite its unorthodox nature, the band found the shed to be the perfect setting for their unique approach to making music. Brooks shared with CT Examiner, “We recorded this album in my family’s shed that Silas and I built back in 2017 and became our rehearsal space. It was an unlikely place to make a record, but it turned out to be perfect for our unorthodox way of doing things. We spent eight days straight recording with our friend Joe Lemieux who produced the album, and it was nonstop rock!”
The band’s goal with “Take It!” was to infuse every aspect of the album with a sense of enjoyment and fun, ensuring that the recording process mirrored this sentiment. The result is a collection of tracks such as “Anymore,” “Feelin’ Alright,” “Ace Starchild,” the titular song, and “I Dunno,” each with its unique theme. Songs like “Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star,” “The Beginning of the End of the World,” and “Hillsborough Disaster 1989” showcase the band’s diverse range of subjects, all set against a backdrop of ‘70s punk-inspired sound and raw instrumentation that adds an element of honesty to their music.
To celebrate the release of “Take It!”, The Problem With Kids Today hosted a local party at Three Sheets with fellow bands Ports of Spain and special guests, Dagwood. For those eager to experience their energetic live performance, the band will be playing at the Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden on September 12. In a family affair, Brooks’ father, Dave, will be performing at the same venue earlier in the evening, starting at 7 p.m. The new album is now available for purchase and streaming, allowing fans to immerse themselves in The Problem With Kids Today’s unique musical journey.