Single Review: Kids in Glass Houses- ‘Drive’ (21/07/2013 – Roadrunner Records)

Formed in 2003, Kids in Glass Houses are a Cardiff-born Pop Punk band who have already enjoyed success with their first three albums; ‘Smart Casual’ (2008), ‘Dirt’ (2010) and ‘In Gold Blood’ 2011), as well as singles such as ‘Give Me What I Want’, ‘Matters At All’ and ‘Undercover Lover’ (featuring The Saturday’s Frankie Sanford). The quintet has shared stages with the likes of 30 Seconds to Mars and Manic Street Preachers, and are due to release their fourth full length album ‘Peace’ (2013) on 21^st September 2013, which will feature their brand new single ‘Drive’.

Using a poppier sound and stronger backbeat, ‘Drive’ is proof that Kids in Glass Houses are willing to vary their sound to suit what’s popular. However, they haven’t sacrificed their Rock origins and Pop Punk nature. They’ve also latched onto the truckloads of Indie styles finding their way into the music industry at the moment and the track’s vibe is so chirpy it’d be at home in a cheesy 90s song. It also boasts the impressive vocal abilities of frontman and vocalist Aled Phillips, but lyrically, although catchy, it does become a little repetitive as the song progresses.

In terms of emotion, ‘Drive’ severely lacks any direction as the lyrics are so drab it’s unclear what the track is even about. But it did place at number 3 in the ITunes Rock Chart and number 66 in the overall ITunes Chart, so the Welsh lads must be doing something right. However, ‘Drive’ does, however, have a great deal of live potential, due to how simplistic and cyclic it is. But what long term fans of Kids in Glass Houses will be looking for is a track about partying, pain and general angst against the world and people you encounter. This track, however, lacks any sort of sentimentality and heart in any capacity.

Despite how memorable ‘Drive’ is, it fails to utilise many of the signature characteristics that fans of the band are used to. If this is a shining example of what to expect in terms of new material from the boys, long-term fans may be disappointed, however it is a likeable, Indie-Pop style, party-perfect song with an immense melody.

3/5