You Me At Six gig review - RE:SUS magazine

You Me At Six - Southampton University, October 25th 2008

The best thing about You Me at Six? They’re not Welsh, or American. Not that I have anything against the aforementioned, only it’s nice to see a South England pop-punk band getting recognised, even if I have made the inevitable comparisons.

I must admit I originally thought that they were yet another format flown over from Florida, until I attended their show at Southampton University. Call me naïve but I was pleasantly surprised. The Welsh reference is in regards to the beginning of tracks like 'save it for the bedroom' - from their latest album 'take off your colours'. Front-man Josh’s vocal style does bare similarities to whats-his-face from FFAF, prior to their move towards ‘epic’ styled concepts.

That aside…YMAS are fun. Let’s face it, I could have be in a far worse place than at a sold out venue, jumping along (or slightly bouncing with my heels barely leaving the floor) to tunes like If I were in your shoes and Call that a comeback - plus being over 18 I managed to escape to the bar between acts and watch as those less fortunate pine across the barrier, ah luxury!

Farewell were also on the bill, and typical of an act from North-Carolina they were cheesy, repetitive, and hugely simplistic lyric-wise, but that’s not to say I didn’t like them. These bands are what make the world of pop-punk go round. They’re a feisty but cheery lot, whose colourful album artwork was spread across the stage, nearly engulfing their drummer - who for the most part of the gig I almost neglected to notice.

These bands make me wish I could go back to being 14 years old, when I first discovered music; lounging around in parks and industrial estates, skateboarding and bumming about with mates. Now instead it takes a venture to the local alt/rock/other genre defining club night, to bounce half-arsed around the room for me to get the same feel-good effect (sometimes more energetically depending on my state of mind at the time). Either way, YMAS seem to be a perfect soundtrack to each of these settings and are ‘like, SO totally’ infectious.

RE:SUS Magazine Website

Inner Party System - Inner Party System (Album Review)

Inner Party System - Inner Party System (Album Review)

Die Tonight, Live Forever is like a robotic anthem that throws you onto a packed dance floor. The vocals resound in your mind, blending beautifully with the synthetic beat and echoing off into the distance. This is the kind of record I wanted Shiny Toy Guns to release, but instead IPS come along and steal their thunder.

The problem with STG’s is, that they had two great tunes on We Are Pilots, but then they began to resemble some dated 80’s electro group, with seemingly meaningless lyrics about robots (very iRobot). Inner party system however, despite the similarities, take on a much more energetic, contemporary & most of all, non-patronising approach.

The track 'Structure' boasts perfect harmonies; merging the music and Drum 'N' Bass beats with vocalist Patrick’s emotionally powerful words. These tracks could quite easily be played across the board, from a Zane Lowe mix tape to Dave Pearce’s Dance Anthems. These are party tunes with real meaning, backed by moderate intelligence - sod the bimbo singers resonating across your airwaves, bands like this need to be taking over the dance genre.

'This empty love' carries heavy Nine Inch Nails similarities - this is the darker side of the album coming through. However, it does leave more to be desired. Like a disappointing chance-encounter, when it kicks in towards the end it is an atmospheric, industrial explosion, but it does take it’s time to get there and it doesn’t last long.

Inner Party System is an electro-rock-rave riot captured on record. This crossover rock is paving the future, let’s educate the new generation in that you don’t always have to be restricted to one sound.