Cal Lewis
12/02/08, 09:19 AM
You Me at Six - Take Off Your Colours
Record Label: Slam Dunk Records
Release Date: October 7, 2008
Surrey quintet You Me At Six have been causing quite a stir over the past 12 months, from supporting tour slots with metallers Bullet For My Valentine, to their own sell-out headline tours in the UK, without even releasing an album. So you're probably thinking "what's all the fuss about?" and "are they worthy of this rise from pretty much no where in little over a year?"
Well, I'd say yes. This is a band full of youthful enthusiasm and energy. Josh Franceschi (lead vocals) is still only 17 and the remaining four members are no older than 19 (Max Helyer - guitar & backing vocals, Chris Miller - guitar, Matt Barnes - bass and finally Dan Flint - drums and percussion). While the themes and topics on this full-length debut are all you'd expect of kids their age (girls, gossiping, and all the usual dramas of teenage life), I find Franceschi's lyrics sharp, cocky, and sarcastic, which in itself makes the record more absorbing than some of the rather cheesy and cringe-worthy poetry you'd associate with these genres.
As for the music, I have to applaud the band for the 'DIY' approach they've taken on the record in a day and age full of super slick, squeaky clean production. Whilst there are plenty of catchy hooks here, the guitars sound grittier and the bass lines thicker, honing a more meaty rock sound to compliment the pop sensibilities.
Things get going with the infectious opener, "The Truth Is A Terrible Thing." Meaty riffs, catchy melodies, and a sing-a-long chorus are all on the menu here, serving up an introduction to what you can expect on the majority this album. "Gossip" has enough '"woah's" to keep you going until next autumn, while "Call That A Comeback?" contains a filthy guitar pickup to accompany another rousing chorus that will urge you to hit the repeat button.
"Jealous Minds Think Alike" is one of the strongest tracks on the album. It is not unlike the the previous three tracks in terms of style and structure, however, it contains a fantastic chorus and killer outro that make it a standout. "Save It For The Bedroom" will no doubt be another crowd-pleaser at gigs for its riffs and instant sing-along's. The title track is another excellent offering with some chunky guitars and anthemic versus.
The second half of the album is more diverse that the first, starting with "You've Made Your Bed." This is a slowed down, self-aware, self-referential ode to an ex-girlfriend. It still contains a big chorus with some more "whoa's" thrown in for good measure. "Tigers And Sharks" is in a similar mold, with more intricate verses followed by a nice chorus ("everyone I loved has been swimming with the sharks and I don't know why") and some driving guitars to lead the middle section.
'If You Run' is another favorite. It contains more of a heavy, layered guitar sound (a mellow post-hardcore track if you will) while still containing the band's trademark killer chorus. "Always Attract" is the first and only ballad that always seems to get thrown in on these type of records. But make no mistake, this is no filler track. It's a slow, acoustic number which eventually leads to some big sounding guitars to accompany the duel vocals of Franceschi and his sister, Elissa, who guest features on the track.
"If I Were In Your Shoes" quickly re-establishes the album's pace with some killer guitar hooks before reaching what I feel, is the only genuine let down on the album, "Nasty Habits." It seems to lack the infectious chorus of the other tunes on offer and never really gets going. This for me could have easily been left out of the final track listing.
By the time you reach the climax of the rousing closer, "The Rumour," you feel as though you've listened to a very solid debut album by a young band with huge potential, if lacking in originality. As they get older and mature as songwriters and musicians, you genuinely feel the best is yet to come.
For some, you'll get the feeling you've heard this done before over and over. But ultimately, when the content is this addictive and enjoyable, why should it matter?
01. The Truth is a Terrible Thing
02. Gossip
03. Call That a Comeback?
04. Jealous Minds Think Alike
05. Save It for the Bedroom
06. Take Off Your Colours
07. You've Made Your Bed
08. If You Run
09. Tigers and Sharks
10. If I Were in Your Shoes
11. Always Attract
12. Nasty Habits
13. The Rumour
The Spill Canvas; Jimmy Eat World
myspace.com/youmeatsix (http://www.myspace.com/youmeatsix)
Record Label: Slam Dunk Records
Release Date: October 7, 2008
Surrey quintet You Me At Six have been causing quite a stir over the past 12 months, from supporting tour slots with metallers Bullet For My Valentine, to their own sell-out headline tours in the UK, without even releasing an album. So you're probably thinking "what's all the fuss about?" and "are they worthy of this rise from pretty much no where in little over a year?"
Well, I'd say yes. This is a band full of youthful enthusiasm and energy. Josh Franceschi (lead vocals) is still only 17 and the remaining four members are no older than 19 (Max Helyer - guitar & backing vocals, Chris Miller - guitar, Matt Barnes - bass and finally Dan Flint - drums and percussion). While the themes and topics on this full-length debut are all you'd expect of kids their age (girls, gossiping, and all the usual dramas of teenage life), I find Franceschi's lyrics sharp, cocky, and sarcastic, which in itself makes the record more absorbing than some of the rather cheesy and cringe-worthy poetry you'd associate with these genres.
As for the music, I have to applaud the band for the 'DIY' approach they've taken on the record in a day and age full of super slick, squeaky clean production. Whilst there are plenty of catchy hooks here, the guitars sound grittier and the bass lines thicker, honing a more meaty rock sound to compliment the pop sensibilities.
Things get going with the infectious opener, "The Truth Is A Terrible Thing." Meaty riffs, catchy melodies, and a sing-a-long chorus are all on the menu here, serving up an introduction to what you can expect on the majority this album. "Gossip" has enough '"woah's" to keep you going until next autumn, while "Call That A Comeback?" contains a filthy guitar pickup to accompany another rousing chorus that will urge you to hit the repeat button.
"Jealous Minds Think Alike" is one of the strongest tracks on the album. It is not unlike the the previous three tracks in terms of style and structure, however, it contains a fantastic chorus and killer outro that make it a standout. "Save It For The Bedroom" will no doubt be another crowd-pleaser at gigs for its riffs and instant sing-along's. The title track is another excellent offering with some chunky guitars and anthemic versus.
The second half of the album is more diverse that the first, starting with "You've Made Your Bed." This is a slowed down, self-aware, self-referential ode to an ex-girlfriend. It still contains a big chorus with some more "whoa's" thrown in for good measure. "Tigers And Sharks" is in a similar mold, with more intricate verses followed by a nice chorus ("everyone I loved has been swimming with the sharks and I don't know why") and some driving guitars to lead the middle section.
'If You Run' is another favorite. It contains more of a heavy, layered guitar sound (a mellow post-hardcore track if you will) while still containing the band's trademark killer chorus. "Always Attract" is the first and only ballad that always seems to get thrown in on these type of records. But make no mistake, this is no filler track. It's a slow, acoustic number which eventually leads to some big sounding guitars to accompany the duel vocals of Franceschi and his sister, Elissa, who guest features on the track.
"If I Were In Your Shoes" quickly re-establishes the album's pace with some killer guitar hooks before reaching what I feel, is the only genuine let down on the album, "Nasty Habits." It seems to lack the infectious chorus of the other tunes on offer and never really gets going. This for me could have easily been left out of the final track listing.
By the time you reach the climax of the rousing closer, "The Rumour," you feel as though you've listened to a very solid debut album by a young band with huge potential, if lacking in originality. As they get older and mature as songwriters and musicians, you genuinely feel the best is yet to come.
For some, you'll get the feeling you've heard this done before over and over. But ultimately, when the content is this addictive and enjoyable, why should it matter?
01. The Truth is a Terrible Thing
02. Gossip
03. Call That a Comeback?
04. Jealous Minds Think Alike
05. Save It for the Bedroom
06. Take Off Your Colours
07. You've Made Your Bed
08. If You Run
09. Tigers and Sharks
10. If I Were in Your Shoes
11. Always Attract
12. Nasty Habits
13. The Rumour
The Spill Canvas; Jimmy Eat World
myspace.com/youmeatsix (http://www.myspace.com/youmeatsix)