Over the course of this fleeting life, precious memories are actively stored into a mental scrapbook of sorts, deep within the subconscious. Conversationally, this collection is referred to as the good ‘ole days and on occasion, the introspectively-minded individual might sit back in solitude – with cocktail in hand – simply for the enjoyment of perusing these intangible, yet invaluable photographs. Such mesmeric moments, often shrouded by wistfulness, carry a glimmer of insight and fulfillment to those willing to explore them – and if his latest songwriting is any indication, Steven Fiore has been doing just that.
The 34-year-old, North-Carolina based singer-songwriter, following an eight-year stint writing for Universal Music Publishing Group, presently spends his days skateboarding, smoking cigars, and writing music under the moniker, Young Mister. His 2016, Refresh Records self-titled album, Young Mister, featuresnumerous hit singles such as, “Everything Has Its Place” and “Anybody Out There,” and is succeeded by his widely celebrated sophomore album, Sudden Swoon. Young Mister’s latest single, “Familiar Colors,” is a tender look in the mirror set to high-spirited folk-rock, exhibiting Fiore’s iconic lyrical wit and undoubtedly, it could not have come at a better time.
Familiar colors / You see them every now and then / Familiar colors / Make you remember how it used to be / And wonder what could have been
“Right now, I live in a very small town, far away from most of my good friends,” Fiore shared with American Songwriter, “and while I feel a certain amount of comfort in the reclusiveness, I’m not without regrets. Especially in this pandemic, where I don’t have the freedom to take a last-minute weekend trip to get in some good hang time, I’m feeling more and more nostalgic and longing for the days of getting sweaty and loud in close-quartered practice spaces with my best pals.”
Fiore describes “Familiar Colors” as “3 minutes and 43 seconds of not worrying about this weird, wild year we’re in.” The poignant anthem, self-produced at Fiore’s historic loft-turned-studio skate shop, Reunion Tour, is filled with entrancing guitar lines and sentimental lyricism certain to lure the listener back to their golden days. “I think it’s important to never lose sight of the fact that first and foremost, you should write because you love it,” Fiore said. His dedication to his craft coupled with such pure motive is the reason there is not a skip-worthy song to be found in Young Mister’s well-rounded catalogue.
Take a listen to “Familiar Colors” from Young Mister, below.
