You Me At Six- ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ (03/10/2011- Virgin Records)

   You Me At Six were formed in Surrey in 2004, and this, their third album has excited fans for its promise to be mature, heavier and honest. The quintet have crawled their way to the top of the pop punk ladder, as ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ peaked at number one in the UK Album Charts, making it their most successful record thus far. It was written progressively since the band’s last release, making the songwriting natural and raw. Additionally, the album was recorded earlier this year and produced by Garth Richardson who has previously worked with industry heavyweights such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Nickelback and Rage Against The Machine.

     ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ starts with first single ‘Loverboy’ which has been pinpointed as the track most similar to You Me At Six’s last album ‘Hold Me Down’(2010). The video shoot for this track was delayed due to the London Riots which spread all over the UK in August 2011. It was eventually released on 23^rd September 2011 with acoustic and instrumental versions as well as gritty B-side ‘Moon Child’. Reaching number 39 in the UK charts, it is the band’s third top 40 single. ‘Loverboy’ itself , is made up of punchy beats, gang vocals and booming bass from bassist Matt Barnes. It illustrates how commercial You Me At Six are due to its radio-perfect sound, yet the track is not actually pop based. Catchy and rowdy, it is the perfect way to open an album. Placing the first single from an album as the very first track is a rarity, but it warmly welcomes newer fans who may only be familiar with the band’s latest material and entices them to continue listening.

The artwork for 'Sinners Never Sleep'

     Second track ‘Jaws On The Floor’ is scheduled to be the next single released from ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ and it continues the heavier and harsher theme that ‘Loverboy’ provided. You Me At Six have managed to retain their unique spark yet eradicated most of their pop punk edge, making them more appealing to a wider range of people. Melodically, the song is full of variety and lyrically, it is simplistic at points, such as the chorus, ‘Such a pretty little thing, so much prettier without me’, but at points it is sharp and smart, ‘Life’s a bitch but I’m friends with her sister...’. It is incredible to witness how You Me At Six have converted themselves into more of a potential classic rock band without sacrificing their spark.

     ‘Bite My Tongue’ is very well-produced and absolutely gig perfect. With bulky short riffs, progression and guest vocals from Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes, it is bold, gritty and courageously candid, describing frontman Josh Franceshi’s occasionally resentment for his fellow band mates and friends, ‘I can’t hate the ones who made me.’ Sykes’ screamo input is seamlessly interwoven with the melody and the track fades wonderfully. ‘This Is The First’ thing reverts back to teen theme of struggling relationships, but its tongue-in-cheek, alternative set up depicts You Me At Six’s headway from ‘Hold Me Down’(2010). With various tempos and volumes, the overall production has been strenuously thought out, making the simplistic lyrics successful, ‘This is the first thing I thought, this is the last thing that I want...’.

     The boys’ first slower offering comes in the shape of ‘No One Does It Better’. Solid and similar in sound to Biffy Clyro, it ticks all the right boxes for a good rock song. It is by no means the best You Me At Six track to date, but the piercing chorus, ‘If I just save you, you can save me to’ is beautifully boisterous. You Me At Six have the rare ability to write blaring ballads, rowdy rock songs and progressive alternative pieces, as well as the talent to make them all emotional. ‘Little Death’ is somewhat similar to ‘Trophy Eyes’ (Hold Me Down, 2010) and consists of a chanty chorus and portrays the vocal capabilities of Josh Franceshi; to leap from spine-tingling gentle hums to borderline scream groans.

     ‘Crash’ the first bold ballad from ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ and reflects the band’s heavy influence from pop punk heavyweights Blink-182. This track in particular appears to be remarkably similar melodically to ‘Stay Together For The Kids’ (Take Off Your Pants And Jacket, 2002). ‘Crash’ is just as tender and tear-jerking despite its relevance swaying towards relationships of the romantic variety as opposed to parents splitting up. Its introduction with a short yet stunning string section blends into hushed vocals, ‘But when I looked at her I thought of only you...’, a drumming build-up and a breathtakingly sincere peak of a chorus. It’s use raw emotion broadcasts that serene love songs should never be soppy, but earth-shatteringly soothing. It is followed by All Time Low-esque ‘Reckless’, which proves that voice effects can be used to enhance what is originally recorded without tarnishing its natural quality.

You Me At Six this year

     Featuring guest vocals from Winston McCall of Parkway Drive, ‘Time Is Money’ is dynamic, vigorous and abrasive. McCall’s moment brings the heavier sound You Me At Six were aiming for to the listener’s attention without apology. ‘Little Bit Of Truth’ is, in a word, incredible. It reintroduces strings, dawdling drumming and fantastic lyrics, ‘I just lost control, I just wanted you to know, when I'm on my own I feel invisible...when in front of you I feel invincible.’ The uncomplicated arrangement makes this heartbreaking piece even more astounding. If its poignancy is not enough to make you well up, nothing ever will.

     The penultimate track, ‘The Dilemma’ is the poppiest offering from ‘Sinners Never Sleep’, both lyrically and melodically. It has several spoken elements, You Me At Six’s signature use of repetition, and a breakdown that is unmistakably comparable to Foo Fighters’ ‘The Pretender’ (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, 2007. ‘When We Were Younger’ is a wonderful conclusion to the album, with continual format and haunting humming worthy of a Radiohead track. ITunes’ exclusive bonus track ‘Takes One To Know One’ is reminiscent of You Me At Six’s older work from the early years, which will be appreciated by older fans and should be welcomed by newer followers.

     ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ bestows the intense and frank light and shade range of songwriting from You Me At Six. Sentimental, scrupulous and strong, the record is full of powerful and passionate ballads combined with intense inputs and candid undertone. The band’s progression from their first studio album to this is phenomenal, and the way the boys have matured has allowed them to create an album boasting the best work technically, that You Me At Six have constructed to date.

5/5

You Me At Six - Hold Me Down (11/01/2010 Virgin Records)

    

     You Me At Six, a five-piece pop-punk band from Weybridge, England, manage to exceed expectations through this second studio album ‘Hold Me Down.’ Although some have labelled their debut ‘Take off Your Colours’ as simply another demo, I personally found it incredible. There has been a slight change in the band’s overall sound for this album, owing to their extreme success over the past few years.  Countless sell-out shows, matched with thousands of loyal fans have created a more mature, skilful band. This collection of twelve tracks truly reflects the band’s growth and adaptation, both as individual musicians and collectively.

 

     This is You Me At Six’s first major label debut, and expectations were high, yet as the band have progressed into more mainstream,  melodic musicians, their general success has been flourishing indefinitely. No doubt, supporting the likes of Fall Out Boy and Paramore on tour has assisted them in clambering further up the often generic pop-punk ladder.

    Polished, well-produced and punchy, ‘Hold Me Down’, begins with surround-sound police sirens and develops into a full- blown reverberation, immediately portraying that You Me At Six have discovered more of an individual sound.   ‘Underdog’, which was independently released as a single in February this year, bestows an apathetic judgement on a non-specified negative occurrence ‘...just look at the mess you made...’ , which allows listeners to affix the sentiment of the song to their personal familiarities . Despite the constant inclusion of idioms, for instance, ‘revenge loves company, three makes it a crowd...’ the song remains both catchy and engaging. Although, as typical of all pop-punk bands, the overriding topic of lyrics appears to be failing relationships, in which girls are either wholly impossibly unattainable, untrustworthy, or malicious creatures, denoted by lyrics such as ‘...Safer to hate her/than love her and lose her...’, extracted from fifth track ‘Safer To Hate Her.’ This is, no doubt, influenced by their own experiences.

        You Me At Six cannot be criticised for being generic, because although very American-influenced, the boys provide character to each track, which is encouraged by the album being entirely written by the band members themselves.  It is fair to say, this second album is somewhat darker, mainly in lyrical approach, than their previous work, but this makes certain that ‘Hold Me Down’ is set apart from You Me At Six’s debut ‘Take Off Your Colours’. Lead vocalist Josh Franceschi is a brilliant lyricist; his rare ability of expressing his emotions in an honest, witty and occasionally tongue-in-cheek form.  Jaunty tracks such as ‘Contagious Chemistry’ and ‘There’s No Such Thing...’ evoke typical teenage reactions to disloyalty ‘dearest enemy...’ whereas  penultimate track ‘Trophy Eyes’ intensifies the album’s personal quality, sparking many a music fan into realising people experience similar struggles to one another ‘...Shine so bright, behind those lies...’ Something this album incorporates in abundance
is the unbeatable element of honesty found in You Me At Six's lyrics. 

          Bulky riffs and chanty choruses make up the majority of the CD, which is deliberately blended in with more gentle, melodramatic ballads such as track 4, ‘Stay With Me’ and the final track ‘Fireworks’, which both brings a breathtaking components to the album. ‘Fireworks’ conveys emotional and sincere lyrics broadcast beautifully by the awesome vocal capabilities of the band’s frontman, twenty year old Franceschi. The track also provides a soft and steady finale, including lyrics with which any living teenager can utterly associate with, ‘’Cause I don’t know who I am...’ , terminating  an often stunningly-deafening sequence of tracks.

     Overall, the album appears carefully constructed, yet harsh criticisms constantly remain likely. As more alternative and indie music reaches the peaks of pop charts, there is, therefore, an improved likelihood of a band like You Me At Six gaining the success they deserve for their solid graft. Yet to become both accepted and unique, remains a continual challenge that so far, the band have administered admirably.

5/5