Blame My Youth is the new moniker of celebrated songwriter and artist Sean Van Vleet. His musical adventure first started with Empires, a Chicago-based indie band formed in 2008, where he developed his talents and tasted success with two records and three EPs, sharing stages with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie and Alkaline Trio.
After the outfit disbanded, Sean ventured into the world of songwriting and sync licensing, providing music for major artists and adverts globally. Blame My Youth marks Van Vleet’s return to the band format, blending catchy writing with subtly complex instrumental arrangements.
He unveiled the project with “Right Where You Belong,” exclusively for the soundtrack of Bill And Ted Face The Music and has since toured with The Offspring, Lit and HARDY, confirming his status as an exciting artist in the alternative music sphere. His latest single, “Tokyo Rose,” released via Big Loud Rock, follows the success of tracks like “The Break” and “Running,” which have been climbing the alternative charts.
Jumping straight in with an uptempo sound of bouncy rhythms, bright instrumental tones and expressive vocal leads, Blame My Youth serves up an instantly catchy pop-focused indie rock sound. With layers of shimmering keys and intricate guitar rhythms riding the snap of drums, his vocals spin lively melodies to craft an infectious sound that’s impossible not to love.
Accompanying the single is a music video shot in Tokyo’s underground Top Beat Club, directed by Kenta Takamiya. The video features Johnny Pandora, a Japanese artist known for pioneering “Samurai Rock ‘N Roll,” blending Japanese culture with western rock music. Co-starring Sean Van Vleet, the video captures the electric emerging rock scene in Japan, with Blame My Youth’s performance cut with scenes of a jubilant evening.
Commenting on the release, he shares, “My producer and I found a video of a Japanese Rockabily scene in Tokyo, featuring the front man, Johnny Daigo of the band Johnny Pandora, who was thrashing this ‘50s style song in a garage punk way. That is when the inspiration hit. We reached out to Johnny, sent him the song, and weeks later, he was co-starring in the video with me at the Top Beat Club in Tokyo.”
Watch the music video for Tokyo Rose below
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