On April 4, The Bygones released their debut album — an impressive 13-track record that blends timeless sounds and sophisticated musicianship with indie pop-rock.

The new duo is composed of Joshua Lee Turner and Allison Young, known primarily for their respective YouTube channels that feature their virtuosic vocal, guitar and songwriting skills. Turner’s channel has amassed 703,000 subscribers since its inception in 2007, where he posts his original songs and guitar work, collaborations with other artists and covers of musicians including Leo Kottke and the Rolling Stones. Known for her oldies-style vocal technique, Young has garnered 150,000 subscribers on YouTube, where she posts original songs and covers of music from bygone days.

Ever since their 2018 cover of “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, which has reached 4.7 million views, Turner and Young launched their duo project. Their self-titled debut album contains the best of their respective skills, featuring both Turner’s stunning guitar work and Young’s pristine vocals.

The album opens with a short instrumental introduction followed by the dreamy, retro-inspired track, “How Do You Waste a Day?” The doubled drums create a unique indie sound as Turner and Young sing about spending a lazy day with a significant other.

Paired together, the following tracks are the highlight of this album. “Whatever That Is” is a beautiful, modern and reflective love song about a relationship growing stronger with time. The lyrics “it’s whatever that is / don’t have to name it, cause it changes as we grow / now look at the both of us” are both affecting and sweet, giving the song both a sense of sentimentality for the past and appreciation of the present. The next track, “Can’t Quit You,” is a country-pop gem that shines with its memorable, catchy melody. The lyrics are refreshingly straightforward, merging Young and Turner’s vocals on lines such as “I know what I’m headed for / and I got to, I got to stop laying in a puddle on your floor.”

The same can be said about “Stars Turn Cold,” an upbeat song that encompasses elements of pop, rock and indie, featuring impressive guitar work from Turner and a remarkable saxophone solo to finish out the track.

The second half of the record features a tonal shift for two tracks, “Falling in Love with Broken Hearts” and “The Clover Saloon.” Although the album can be described on the whole as eclectic, featuring a unique blend of indie, rock, pop, folk and country, these two tracks feel tonally disparate and slightly jarring compared to the rest of the record. That being said, they display Turner’s and Young’s passion for classic country music, and their musicianship in the two tracks shines through.

As the most complex and layered song on the record, “Glad” demonstrates Turner and Young’s unique sound and reflects the album’s explorations of love, appreciation for the present, and contemplation of the past. “Secondhand Store” stands out similarly to “Stars Turn Cold,” containing the perfect mix of Turner’s electric guitar, Young’s vocals and their memorable melodies.

Though less pop-oriented, “Interlude,” “Asteroid Day” and “The Collector” work together to develop a quieter side to this album. “The Collector” has a timeless quality to its acoustic instrumentation and the beautiful blending of the duo’s vocals. The last track on the album, “If You Wanted To,” is truly a standout song that features a tonal shift that is truly extraordinary on the first listen, with unique percussion and understated horns as Turner and Young sing, “if you really wanted to be here, you would / if you really wanted to love me, you could.”

“The Bygones” is at once fresh and timeless, demonstrating an impressive showing by two massively talented musicians. Turner and Young have created a sound that feels special not only to their individual strengths, but to their demonstrated success as a duo. They may be The Bygones, but this music certainly isn’t out of vogue.

Rating: 4.8/5 stars