Young Lords

Although the band’s moniker echoes that of a historic Puerto Rican nationalist organization, Young Lords remain quintessentially American, fusing the earthy twang of Southern rock with the sleek metropolitan attitude native to New York. Several classmates at New School University launched the group in 2006 and began by performing country material restricted to acoustic instrumentation. Blair Van Nort handled lead vocals, Anthony LaMarca played drums, Maxwell Kamins held the bass, and Reed Van Nort along with Adam Gerard covered guitar duties; before long, however, the ensemble shifted toward a more robust sound in which classic rock & roll bolstered their country bedrock. This hybrid approach quickly earned the Lords opening slots with the Fratellis and the Shys, while their polished, nostalgic visual style secured features in Nylon, Elle, and the Italian edition of Men’s Vogue. Public attention nevertheless centered chiefly on the songs, culminating in the band’s first studio recording, the 2008 album Rodeo Songs.