Young Martyrs release third full-length record

Since forming in the turbulent days of 2020, Bath-based band Young Martyrs have built their story the hard way through self-funded releases, relentless touring and a stubborn belief that the next record could be the one that changes everything. The indie-Americana outfit have already sold out headline shows across the UK, played alongside artists including Badly Drawn Boy, Hozier and McFly, and appeared at Glastonbury and Rock Oyster.

The band’s history stretches back even before Young Martyrs existed; Beeby, Corneill and Smith previously played together in Centrefolds, a band that found support from BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 and ITV Sport, while also appearing on Channel 4’s Hollyoaks with BBC figures Dermot O’Leary and Tony Robinson among notable fans. Centrefolds performed at Glastonbury and supported The 1975, Toploader, The Coronas and The Crookes, setting them on a path for what would eventually become Young Martyrs.

As Young Martyrs, their self-titled debut arrived in 2020, unveiling a band capable of turning grassroots momentum into packed headline shows. Three years later, second album Time Is Not On Our Side expanded their audience beyond the UK and took them as far as New York City. Now, with their third studio album titled Might Just Be Enough, they’re taking that ambition further than ever. Landing on limited edition vinyl via fledgling label Honey Badger Records, the ten-track album ultimately revolves around the idea of persistence.

The album’s title captures the mindset of a band still reaching for something bigger, even after years of work and as such, the songs arise from the reality of funding their own releases, touring relentlessly and gradually building an audience, transforming the unknown of an independent band’s journey into something both hopeful and relatable. Across the LP, Young Martyrs bring together driving rhythms, expansive guitars, bright harmonies, addictive choruses and cinematic soundscapes, resulting in their most emphatic artistic statement thus far, while the subject matter remains tethered to the emotional honesty that’s defined their music from the very beginning.

Love, longing, grief, hope, mental health and determination all become part of the album’s wider examination of life from their perspective. The record was recorded between Real World Studios and Indefra Studios, largely as a three-piece, with guitarist Rich Beeby also taking on bass duties during the recording process before Phil Smith joined the lineup. Young Martyrs self-produced the album alongside Sebastian Brice, with Ben Koch engineering and Christian Wright handling mastering at Abbey Road Studios.

Opened by title track “Might Just Be Enough,” the record kicks off with gentle guitar strums and frontman Tom Corneill’s alluring vocals, casting a dreamy indie scene that swirls into a stunning outing brimming with memorable melodic writing, jangly guitar tones and steady rhythmic drive. “The title track from this, our third studio album, sums it up in a few words: it might just be enough. The album is a collection of songs about love, longing, grief, and more, but really this album is a culmination of everything we’ve worked so hard for as a band since forming in the weird days of 2020. It’s our most carefully curated distillation of ideas since we first started making noise together and we’re hoping it will be enough to win the world over. All we want is to make music that gets heard by people everywhere. This, we hope, is how we get there,” Tom shares.

“Sugar On My Tongue” flows with the bouncy of bright guitar rhythms and intricate lads as pulsing drums maintains a smooth energy and Tom’s engaging vocals dance above to spin instantly catchy hooks throughout the pop-focused rock anthem. The album’s final single, “Only You,” serves up a soaring love song that eschews glossing over the complicated reality of commitment. Driving drums, anthemic guitars and an unforgettable chorus give it the scale of an all-out romantic anthem, but its poignant context explores the difficult and rewarding parts of staying beside someone through changing circumstances.

Commenting on the single, Tom offers, “Only You is the realest love song you’ll ever hear. We wanted to write an all-out love song about love, but without all the sugar-sweet clichés. So this is a collection of things two people might say to and feel about each other over the course of their time together; the easy bits and the tough bits. Love isn’t about feeling faultlessly on top of the world 24/7, it’s about committing to be beside someone even though promises will be broken and thing are going to get hard at times. Love is knowing things aren’t always easy and doing it anyway. And sometimes it’s just completely amazing. And we hope that’s how you’ll feel when you listen to it.”

Other highlights on the album include songs like “Seventeen” with its pattering drums and lightly gritty guitars capped by compelling vocals while “God Only Knows Why” pairs crunchy guitars and punchy drums with delicate melodic songwriting to craft an engrossing musical moment that’s meaningful and infectious in equal measure. Closing the LP with “Miss You Today,” the elegant flutter of soft guitar tones and hushed vocals forms an intimate scene that leans into the band’s Americana stylings to deliver a charming finale to their sensational third album.

Listen to Might Just Be Enough below