You Me At Six 'Cavalier Youth' Album Review

British rock band You Me At Six first formed in their hometown of Surrey back in 2004. For four years, the band toured in small venues around the UK before finally hitting the big time and releasing their debut album 'Take Off Your Colours' in 2008 after being signed to Slam Dunk Records. From then on, the band have only gone from strength to strength and have accumulated an extremely loyal fan base in the process. Now, after winning Best Event at last years Kerrang! awards for their 'Final Night Of Sin' show at Wembley Arena (which celebrated the success their third studio album 'Sinners Never Sleep,) the band are back with the highly anticipated release of their new album 'Cavalier Youth.'

At first listen, Cavalier Youth is everything that you would expect from a You Me At Six album. However, the overall sound of the album is a lot more mature than the likes of 'Hold Me Down' and 'Sinners Never Sleep.' The album is filled with tracks that are bound to be sure fire hits including the ever-so-catchy 'Cold Night' and 'Carpe Diem,' which feature infectious choruses and middle eights that would make any fan chant along at the top of their lungs. Two of the heavier tracks on the album, 'Room To Breathe' and 'Love Me Like You Used To,' really showcase lead singer Josh Franceschi's infamous gravelly vocals which have dramatically improved over the course of the bands career. 

Another stand out record on the album is 'Be Who You Are,' which highlights the bands softer side. This particular song, albeit rather brief, has an incredibly romantic feel to it which is a refreshing change from an otherwise hard-hitting rock album. The bands current single 'Fresh Start Fever,' showcases drummer Dan Flint's talent tremendously as the strong beat definitely carries the song from start to finish. This track is a firm favourite amongst fans and has also made BBC Radio 1's 'A List,' which is, without a doubt, extremely well deserved. 



The conclusive track on the album, 'Wild Ones,' starts of very simplistic and focuses purely on Josh's vocals. This song is very comparable to the final songs on Hold Me Down and Sinners Never Sleep, 'Fireworks' and 'When We Were Younger,' which both start off slowly and gradually become faster paced as the track progresses. With one final crescendo, the bands powerful guitar riffs and melodies build the listener up once again to an almighty finish.

The full track listing for the album is as follows:

1. Too Young To Feel This Old
2. Lived A Lie
3. Fresh Start Fever
4. Forgive And Forget
5. Room To Breathe
6. Win Some, Lose Some
7. Cold Night
8. Hope For The Best
9. Love Me Like You Used To
10. Be Who You Are
11. Carpe Diem
12. Wild Ones

Overall, 'Cavalier Youth' is cohesively a brilliant album with twelve engaging and utterly unique tracks. It is clear to see that the Surrey quintet have matured and come on leaps and bounds in recent months. With plenty of tour dates both in the UK and Europe already lined up, 2014 is set to be a great year for one of Britain's best rock bands. You Me At Six are undoubtedly back with a bang!

All Time Low 'Don't Panic: It's Longer Now' Album Review

American pop-punk band All Time Low first formed in their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland ten years ago. From the release of their first studio album 'The Party Scene' back in 2005 all the way through to their latest musical endeavor 'Don't Panic,' they have slowly but surely taken the entire world by storm. With their main demographic being teenagers and young adults, their winning formula of extremely catchy choruses and angst-ridden lyrics strikes the perfect balance between pop and rock, blending the two genres together perfectly. 'Don't Panic: It's Longer Now' is a re-release of the bands aforementioned album which includes eight brand new tracks, four of which being acoustic versions of their most popular songs off of the album.

Upon first listen, it is clear that with six albums now firmly under their belt, All Time Low's repertoire has grown substantially and one track that highlights this in particular is 'Canals.' The songs introduction has an incredibly funky feel to it, however after mere seconds, lead vocalist Alex Gaskarth's instantly recognisable vocals kick in and bring the song to life. Another new edition to the album, 'Oh, Calamity!' is a slightly mellower track, yet this comes as refreshing change to an otherwise hard-hitting, fast paced album.

The bands current single, 'A Love Like War,' features front-man Vic Fuentes from fellow pop-punk band Pierce The Veil. With the songs powerful drumming and guitar riffs to the pairs seamless blend of vocals, the track is bound to be a sure fire hit amongst the bands devoted fan base.

1. The Reckless And The Brave

2. A Love Like War (feat. Vic Fuentes)
3. Backseat Serenade
4. Me Without You (All I Ever Wanted)
5. If These Sheets Were The States

6. Somewhere In Neverland

7. So Long, Soldier

8. Canals
9. The Irony Of Choking On A Lifesaver
10. To Live And Let Go
11. Outlines
12. Thanks To You

13. For Baltimore

14. Paint You Wings

15. So Long, And Thanks For All The Booze
16. Oh Calamity!
17. For Baltimore (Acoustic)

18. Somewhere In Neverland (Acoustic)
19. The Reckless And The Brave (Acoustic)

20. Backseat Serenade (Acoustic)


Ultimately, it is plain to see now that the band have returned to being managed by Hopeless Records, All Time Low are going from strength-to-strength and there is no sign of them slowing down any time soon!  

Twenty One Pilots 'Vessel' Album Review

Twenty One Pilots, a musical two-piece from Ohio, first formed back in 2009. However, they have only just made their way into the limelight. After finally gaining some recognition and being signed in 2012 by Fueled by Ramen, the same record label who manage the likes of rock giants Paramore and Fall Out Boy, the duo have gone from strength to strength. Now, two EP's later, Twenty One Pilots have released their first studio album, 'Vessel.'   

At first listen, it is clear that the band have a very distinctive and original sound. Lead singer Tyler Joseph's mixture of rap and alternative vocals with fellow band member Josh Dun's powerful drumming, the two are definitely a force to be reckoned with. The opening track of the album, Ode To Sleep, is the perfect track to set the tone for the rest of the album as it really showcases what the band are all about. The contrast between the rap and electronic elements of the album is definitely a refreshing change, as it constantly keeps the listener on their toes as Tyler switches between the two styles.

The second song on the record, 'Holding On For You,' is the bands most successful song to date and with it's incredibly catchy melody and lyrics, it's no wonder as to why. This is the duos current single in the UK and ever since they played the infamous Reading & Leeds Festival last month, the bands fan base this side of the pond has grown exponentially. Another firm favourite on the album is without a doubt 'Guns For Hands.' In a recent interview, front-man Tyler admitted that this song is very honest and is all about extremely common emotional issues such as depression and self harm, which are topics that affect so many adolescents and young adults. For a band to release such hard-hitting and honest material is such a breath of fresh air and this is just one of the many reasons why Twenty One Pilots are set for even more success in upcoming months.



The track listing for the album is as follows:

1. Ode To Sleep
2. Holding On To You 
3. Migraine
4. House Of Gold
5. Car Radio
6. Semi-Automatic 
7. Screen 
8. The Run And Go 
9. Fake You Out 
10. Guns For Hands
11. Trees
12. Truce

Overall, this album is riddled with many sure fire hits and after recently being nominated for several newcomer awards, it's plain to see that the band are definitely one to watch out for in the near future! Ultimately, if you have not done so already; go and pick up a copy of Vessel today!

Deaf Havana's 'Old Souls' Album Review

Deaf Havana first formed in their hometown of Hunstanton in 2005, however, over the past couple of years they have well and truly burst on to the ever so popular pop-rock scene and have gained an extremely loyal fan base in the process. With it being just under two years since the release of their much-loved album 'Fools And Worthless Liars,' which featured hits such as 'I'm A Bore, Mostly' and 'Leeches', there was a lot of anticipation surrounding their new album. Now, the band have finally released their long awaited album 'Old Souls' and it has certainly lived up to my, and hopefully everybody elses, expectations.

At first listen, it is clear that Deaf Havana have done a lot of growing up since writing their last album, as both the sound and lyrics of this album are seemingly much more mature than usual. The album kicks off with 'Boston Square,' which I believe is the perfect angst-ridden song with a incredibly catchy chorus, to transition seamlessly between their old and new album. 

In general, this album is filled with many ready-made hits such as 'Lights' and 'Speeding Cars,' however there are two much more subdued tracks that really jump out at me, the first one being 'Night Drives.' This song starts off very simplistic with minimal instruments, yet this builds gradually throughout the song, with the final chorus becoming a lot more like the Deaf Havana's punchy songs that we all know and love. 'Saved' is the second slower song on the album and it really tugs on your heart strings. After carefully listening to the lyrics, it is apparent that this song is all about the struggle of growing up in a small town like Hunstanton and how unstable it can be. The final song that caught my attention, which is also coincidentally the last song on the album, is 'Caro Padre.' This number has a few subtle gospel-like qualities to it, including an atmospheric middle-eight complete with a choir and some heavy drumming, which makes this song a direction that Deaf Havana have never previously explored, as well as it being a great conclusive song for the album.

Here is the full track-listing for the album:

1. Boston Square
2. Lights
3. Everybody's Dancing And I Want To Die
4. Subterranean Bullshit Blues
5. Night Drives
6. 22
7. Speeding Cars
8. Saved
9. Mildred (Lost A Friend)
10. Tuesday People
11. Kings Road Ghosts
12. Caro Padre

Overall, Deaf Havana's sound has really matured and come into its own, and 'Old Souls' is a great showcase of this. I would really recommend listening to or purchasing this album as every song featured is, in my opinion, a sure fire hit. I would love to know your thoughts on the album and what your personal favourites are, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below letting me know what you think. Thank you!

'Paramore' Album Review

I have always been a big Paramore fan and since their line-up changed, I was a bit dubious as to what the new album would sound like. I think that in my honest opinion, no Paramore album will ever compare to 'Riot!' However, saying this, after listening to their new self-titled album online, 'Paramore,' I am pleasantly surprised! This is now Paramore's fourth studio album and I have been listening to a few of the tracks on repeat in my car all weekend long! 

'Last Hope' is my favourite song as I can really relate to the lyrics, and I love how the song slowly builds. Also, I think that the song really showcases the softer side to Hayley's vocals. Another one of my favourites on the album is 'Hate To See Your Heart Break,' which is another rather mellow track. Whenever I listen to this song, it really relaxes me. The two tracks that I have pointed out on the album so far are quite slow, so on the contrary, another one of my favourites is 'Be Alone.' This song is considerably more up-beat and and shows off Hayley's power and range in her voice. Last but not least, my final favourite off of the album is of course 'Still Into You,' their current single. When I first heard this song for the first time, I wasn't really keen but now I absolutely love it - which makes the song a 'grower.' It is incredibly catchy and never fails to put me in a good mood! 

Here is the entire track list for the album:

1. Fast In My Car
2. Now 
3. Grow Up
4. Daydreaming
5. Interlude: Moving On
6. Ain't It Fun
7. Part II
8. Last Hope
9. Still Into You
10. Anklebiters
11. Interlude: Holiday
12. Proof
13. Hate To See Your Hear Break
14. (One Of Those) Crazy Girls
15. Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore
16. Be Alone
17. Future

Overall, I would really recommend you to give the album a listen. The songs are all different to one another, which makes the album incredibly diverse in my opinion. If any of you give it a listen or have done already, I would love to know your thoughts on it and what your personal favourites are. So, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below :)