Return of the prodigal sons

YOU is back.\n"Comparing the Bloomington scene to the Atlanta scene is like comparing a grain of plain rice to a seven-course feast," YOU founder Nick Niespodziani says. Earlier this year, YOU moved from Bloomington to Decatur, Ga., to try to find its place in the music scene. \nSpeaking of Bloomington's music scene, Niespodziani says, "Does anyone really believe original music is thriving in Bloomington? I hope not." Of course, to some the local music situation looks grave at the moment. With the closing of original music venues like the Cellar Lounge and Secret Sailor, options for local musicians are shrinking. \n"I believe they had some disappointments locally and they just figured, 'Let's get out of here,'" music professor Andy Hollinden says. "Atlanta is a much better town for music."\nYOU found that Bloomington didn't offer much room for growth. \n"If you have aspirations of making records for a living, you have to go to where you can be in the mix with other musicians with similar goals," Niespodziani says. So, YOU finds itself in the mix with the gumbo-like Atlanta music scene. The switch of neighborhoods was not a smooth transition, but the musicians are already reaping the benefits of the wider exposure. \nTheir first show was on St. Patrick's Day, where they played for a crowd of 1,200. Despite only playing two regular gigs and a handful of open mic nights, they have already sold as many copies of their records as they did in Indiana.\nThey have learned that trying to be employed in the music business is like interviewing for any business, though they've found getting gigs easier than they thought it would be. Still, there is a schmoozing end of it that they must adhere to. \n"Pretending to like people and bullshitting about things you 'have in the works' -- i.e., thought about one night when you were stoned -- are not things I enjoy doing. So it is a challenge to play this industry game without compromising my standards for morals, personal conduct and honesty," Niespodziani says. \nThere have also been personal changes within the band. Longtime vocalist Alyssa Finke left the group. YOU bassist Peter Olson says, "Obviously, the soaring lead vocals and tasty harmonies that Alyssa added to the band will be missed." But he adds, "You will definitely hear from Slinky in the future -- count on that."\nYOU musicians are living in a house where they have built a home studio that allows them not only record their own music, but the music of friends and clients. They've been recording a wide range of artists, from rappers to singer-songwriters. They admit that there can be downfalls to working with other artists, but they also see that the act can be beneficial to their own style. \nAnd that is why they've gone to Georgia, not necessarily a musical Mecca, but enough opportunities to satisfy an up-and-coming group. And Atlanta has been a hot bed for new styles of Southern music, with artists such as Outkast and The Black Crowes.\nYOU's sound has reflected the move. The band's last record, Better Live, sounds kind of like Peter, Paul and Mary covering Sly and the Family Stone. YOU likes to call it "rocked-out-psychedelic-soul-hop, with a twist of pop."\nBetter Live contains the impeccable production techniques that many bands revert to when finding themselves in a professional studio for the first time and having to self-produce. "That just happens when a band is in the studio for the first time, with no time constraints. They do a lot of overdubbing and things like that," Hollinden says. Since being in Georgia, YOU has re-cut a few of its songs (including the single "L.A. Lindsay" especially for the Live From Bloomington CD that the musicians feel better reflect the spirit of their live show.\n"The reason things sound so peachy down here in Georgia is because compared to Bloomington they are," Niespodziani says.\nNote: YOU will participate in the Live From Bloomington show Thursday and play an acoustic show in the Union Cafeteria at noon Friday.