It was hard to imagine that the Surrey lads would be able to grab the hat trick, but third album, Sinners Never Sleep, did that and then some.
Formed in 2004 in Weybridge, Surrey, You Me At Six have made leaps and bounds for the British music scene. 2008 saw the rampant success of album Take Off Your Colours, and fans weren’t disappointed with it’s follow up, Hold Me Down, in 2010.
Over the past couple of the years there have been so many reasons to be proud to be British. Our small country is showing its true might in so many ways it’s almost hard to keep up with it. But here is something you can, and should, follow.
The British rock music scene has always been something to be proud of but perhaps never more so then now. Bands like The Blackout, Kids In Glass Houses and Bring Me The Horizon have been flooring fans for years and growing and developing all the time. You Me At Six have been heading this scene for eight years, and those boys next door have done it with style.
Sinners Never Sleep hit the shelves on October 3rd 2011. It dramatically showcases the heavy aspect to this formally soft band whilst also throwing in some mellow gems for balance.
Prime single, Loverboy, is the perfect way to open this album. Opening with an almost menacing chant that excites to the core, this song is moulded perfectly for the upcoming live shows. It’s a perfect example of the angry arrogance that this band typically oozes. It’s normally a trait worthy of criticism but front man, Josh Franchesci, well and truly gets away with it. How? By showing every nice guy that’s finished last that in this somewhat depressed country you can still be whoever you want to be.
And there is plenty of finishing last in this album. This Is The First Thing and No One Does It Better are flawless paradigms of love gone wrong. They highlight every feeling and every thought of a rough break up that leaves you feeling empty. Ironically, this is how You Me At Six are winning the race to capture the hearts of Britain’s youth.
One thing You Me At Six have always been spectacular at using is cameo appearances. Josh is no stranger to lending his voice to a track or two (see The Blackout, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, you won’t regret it.) Indeed, there were a crazy amount of rumours before the albums release about who would appear. Hayley Williams perhaps? Adele even! Well, both would have been fantastic but, unfortunately, neither appeared. One rumour that did come to fruition was Bring Me The Horizons Oli Sykes. Boy, did he do a good job. Track Bite My Tongue is another anger fuelled stormer with a horror themed video to match.
Second appearance was from Parkways Drive’s Winston McCall whose borrowed vocals on Time Is Money gives this album a double whammy of screaming gold.
But don’t be deceived! Just when you think this album is the heaviest yet some happy bouncing comes into play with track Reckless. If you haven’t seen this song played live then you are probably unaware of what real gig bruises look like. Never before has this band had a tune to make a whole academy jump in unison quite like this. This song is a massive ‘screw you’ to every boyfriend or girlfriend that as royally messed up, in a rather impressive way, and regretted it. A prime example of how You Me At Six really do try their best “to always be in your mind.”
Play.com announced in August 2011 that pre-orders for Sinners Never Sleep was the fastest the site had ever seen. That’s no surprise. This album is completely flawless and if you haven’t heard it yet then you are well and truly missing out. Get it. Go and see them. Love it.
