Delivering the goods

Here in the Junk office, we get to check out new acts and new music so often that it takes a lot to impress us. One act that’s been getting the thumbs up from the Junk team is Brisbane based Yeo & The Fresh Goods. The man behind the band is 21 year old Yeo Choong. Yeo & The Fresh Goods make music that infuses reggae, pop, jazz, soul, rock and electronica. The result is a completely new sound that’s fun, cheeky and memorable. Think a mish-mash between NERD and Bob Marley infused with some jazz, and you'll get Yeo’s music.

How did the marrying of his varied influences come about? Yeo started learning to play the classical piano at age seven, and went on to listen to hip hop and heavy metal during his primary school years. "As the years progressed, my tastes grew and I started devouring everything from jazz, funk, and progressive rock to dance, folk, reggae and commercial pop. Everything. I don't rule anything out," says Yeo. "In secondary school I began to toy with software to make electronic music and when I discovered that I spent more time working on tracks than on homework, I knew music was what I wanted to do.”

Yeo's debut album Trouble With Yourself, which was released early this year, has garnered praise from various music critics. He even got an offer to sign with a major record label, but he rejected it. “I wasn't really sure what I was doing with my life," explains Yeo. "It felt like I wasn't 100% committed to my music yet, so to sign on to a label would be both unfair to them and to myself. I am also very weary of the music industry, having studied a lot (Yeo is currently doing a Masters in Audiology) about how things can go wrong for musicians who are not careful. I think hesitation is a good thing in this instance.”

For now, all Yeo wants to do is make music. He plays in two other bands, Tragic/Athletic and SkyPi, and has a slew of other music projects that are still in their infancy. He sums up his musical existence quite nicely, “All I ever want from this life is to have a bit of money to live, and to write and play music.”

www.myspace.com/snackswithyeo

Words Jolyn Photo Yeo Choong