By By Mike Fordham

If you pick up The Sun’s debut album Blame It On The Youth, don’t expect the disc to play in your CD player. Blame It On The Youth is the first album to not be released on CD, but instead only on DVD and online. This is an interesting experiment, one that could possibly take off in the near future. It’s a daring feat for a new band, especially for a debut album.

It has been a long time coming for The Sun. Their previous releases came in the form of two EPs. The garage-rock sound found on those EPs has expanded to include power pop and indie rock. It was wise for The Sun to hold off a proper full-length to avoid the recent garage rock revival, but the group might have taken a bit too long.

Blame It On The Youth kicks into high gear with “Must Be You” and “Say Goodbye.” Both start off soft and flare up in intensity. “Say Goodbye,” a send-off to an ex-girlfriend, packs extra vitriol as vocalist Chris Burney yells the lyrics. The feelings on the rest of the album aren’t as angry, as The Sun pokes fun at hipsters (via some spirited power pop-rock) on “Waiting On High” and finish out the set with the uplifting and infectious “Valentine.” To their credit, The Sun are adept at infusing their music with a wide range of emotions.

Sadly, the rest of the album is not filled with such intensity. The indifference that comes across on “Lose Your Money” translates to the listener, who will probably opt for other songs on the album. The shout-filled garage rock sound that is the basis of “Pavement Jive” has been done many times (and better) in the past. Other tracks like “Rockstop” and “Romantic Death” lack excitement.

The uneven nature of Blame It On The Youth spoils the lengthy wait for a full album. The Sun’s dabbling in genres is a welcomed move. Still, this 14-song release could have been whittled down to make a more forceful debut.n

The Chronicle gives “Blame It On The Youth,” by The Sun three out of five stars.