"We Are Young" fun. ft. Janelle Monae

Talk about the underdog hit of the year! Thanks to some prime featured placement on Glee and in Chevrolet's Super Bowl XLVI ad, indie pop band fun. has come from nowhere to score a breakthrough smash with "We Are Young," which just yesterday became the first alternative rock track to top the Hot 100 in almost four years. Though it starts off indiscriminately enough, "Young" veers sharply toward left field on the chorus, a languidly-paced stunner driven by heavy drum beats and soaring harmonies. The listener's sense of wonder will only grow as fun. meanders toward an emotional peak during the middle eight, which sounds like a barroom singalong featuring a lovely but underused cameo from Janelle Monae. In today's pop music climate of pulsing synths and racing BPM, this is a tall, refreshing glass of slow-burning splendor. A