At last an album!
It is surprising to see how much Surrey based quintet You Me At Six have achieved over the course of a year. They toured with Elliot Minor, playing London’s Astoria 2, appeared at numerous festivals, released four singles, had their own 21-day SOLD OUT headling tour and are embarking on another tour commencing this October. They have accomplished so much and only just releasing an album.
Much of the success that You Me At Six have achieved over the last year is thanks to Myspace, which is actually where I first came across them. Now with ‘Take Off Your Colours’, the bands thirteen-track debut becoming widely available and adored, it will establish the band as young, exuberant musicians with a love and talent for creating vibrant and intoxicating pop/rock tunes. This album features familiar tunes such as ‘Save It For The Bedroom’ and ‘You’ve Made Your Bed’, as well as few others that are no doubt going to become much-loved songs.
Adrenaline and sing-a-long choruses fuel each track; the most noticeable anthems being ‘Save It For The Bedroom’ and ‘The Rumour’. The album is alive with pop melodies and rock attitude, but every so often something sets a tune apart from the others. ‘Jealous Minds Think Alike’ is more reserved and builds anticipation to a point where a sassy chorus kicks in. ‘If You Run’ is slightly darker with rapid guitar riffs, probably the most impressive the album explores, along with the stand out guitar solo in ‘If I Were In Your Shoes’. ‘Tigers And Sharks’ shows the lads in a fragile and gentler state. As the chorus hits, it explodes both musically and vocally. Harmonies come alive with attitude as guitars fight to be heard. This is the song that sums up the emotions, intensity and powerfulness the lads create in live shows.
One of the most powerful tunes on this album is ‘Always Attract’. It is at this point you really get a sense of the capability the lads have. Their method of writing lyrics is remarkable and Josh’s (singer) vocals shine brighter than ever before. This may be a song felt with a deep melancholy and uses the minimalist of sounds, yet it probably creates the most impact on a listener.
This album is a highly addictive and energetic creation, but to experience the music that much deeper, it’s highly recommend you get yourself down to a venue they next play; live is the best way to experience the sounds of You Me At Six.