You Had Me At Hello - Take It Off
Southern pop-punkers You Had Me At Hello have come to release their eagerly anticipated debut EP Take It Off. Since forming at the end of 2009, the band has shared the stage with artists such as Lethal Bizzle, Utah Saints and Young Knives. They have played well known venues such as Leeds Cockpit and the 02 Academies in both Leeds and Newcastle, and have made a big move in heading to California in order to record their debut EP. So upon hearing such things regarding this band, I could only have high expectations, however I'm not so sure they've lived up to the hype.
Whilst they are definitely talented lads, and the tracks are somewhat likable, I must say I was disappointed with the overall sound of this EP. The band claim to take influence from bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Funeral For A Friend, Green Day and The Offspring; yet all I could hear when listening to this EP was huge similarities to these bands, rather than an influence from them.
The songs are not badly written nor performed, they're just nothing new for me.
I do not see this as an entirely bad thing as I believe that this band could be noticed particularly by a younger audience, perhaps an audience unlike me, who grew up listening to all the bands that YHMAH are influenced by. There is a huge audience for pop-punk at the moment, and this band seem to be sliding into the scene pretty well, I'm just not so sure how easily adored they will be by old-timer pop-punk lovers.
All the tracks are extremely catchy, Kill The Catch being a strong contender for the best song on the EP, with slightly growly vocals in comparison to the rest of the tracks, and a strong instrumental in the middle.
The newest single from the EP called Diamonds and Pearls will appeal to fans of New Found Glory, and modern day pop punk such as You Me at Six, with its upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics. The video for this track is available to watch now on their Facebook page.
Overall, not a bad debut, just a little unoriginal for my taste. But in time I think You Had Me At Hello will come into their own, and will gain a strong following from fans of modern bands such as You, Me At Six and All Time Low.