After the success of their highly acclaimed debut album Red Light Fix, The Dirty Youth have returned with a rousing stomp of a follow-up, a sophomore album to firmly establish the South Wales band as one of the dynamically refreshing and emotionally rousing bands on the British music scene. Gold Dust manages to be infectiously familiar and dramatically new simultaneously, with emphasis on the latter. It also offers a collection of angst and passion fuelled roars which impact and linger far beyond the length of the release itself. Its sound is a fiery blend of alternative/rock pop which plays like a mix of Paramore meets Fall Out Boy with healthy whispers of The Bambi Killers and My Chemical Romance. It is feisty, contagious, and sure to give the summer some irresistible anthems.
Formed in 2007, The Dirty Youth has seen an increasing arousal of support and praise since the release of their debut single Fight three years later. Already the band was earning strong and eager responses through their live presence, but the song which became an internet hit gaining over 3 million views on YouTube, was the catalyst to broader recognition. Debut album Red Light Fix which followed soon after, exploited and drove the awakening attention on in fine and persuasive style, earning potent acclaim across media and fans alike. Since then the band has toured with the likes of Korn, The Rasmus, Reckless Love, Heavens Basement, and this year Fozzy and InMe, as well as making successful appearances at the likes of Hyde Park alongside Bruce Springsteen, Getaway Rocks with Slash, and Motörhead, and Download last year.
Now the band uncages their second album and Gold Dust takes little time to stir up attention and appetite with its presence. Opener I’m Not Listening To You is an instantly eager protagonist just as quickly capturing the imagination with a stabbing tirade of beats from drummer Freddie Green matched by raw strikes of guitar wrapped in expressive melodies courtesy of Matt Bond’s keys. Hitting a magnetic stride straight after, the song becomes an enticing web of riffs and melodies spread by the guitars of Luke Padfield and Bond and courted by the great throaty bass lures provided by Leon Watkins and the equally dramatic swings of Green. Within its first minute the song shows that predictability has no place in the music of The Dirty Youth, every moment adding new twists ensuring the verse chorus verse etc. passage is never the same second time around. Vocally Danni Monroe, also showing great diversity in her delivery, is a rich flame to the song, a focal point around which surrounding sounds lick to earn their rightful share of praise.
Alive comes next and similarly has ears and imagination enthralled with its vocally charged and impassioned croon. Encased in a cage of rhythmic agitation and a sweltering key bred atmosphere, the song has a more restrained embrace to its energy compared to the all-out stomp of the first, yet is just as creatively and emotionally tempestuous as keys, guitars and voice entangle to create a dramatic character.
Its successor Just Move On, explodes on a rolling temptation of again galvanic rhythms, expanding its bright and alluring adventure with a host of inescapable hooks and a melodic breeze of invigorating enterprise. Like the songs before it is a busy encounter in its own distinct way ensuring, as the album, every listen has a fresh feel to ears as more is discovered with the song’s depths.
The great electro fuzz opening to The One sets up the infectiousness of its revelry up perfectly, the song going on to dance with inescapable virulence across its lusty body as vocals and keys spin an insatiable weave of imagination backed by striking rhythmic and guitar endeavour. The track manages at times to be as predatory as it is vivaciously catchy, The Dirty Youth again showing from songwriting to presentation, no assumptions can be made as the track stalks ears with its attitude shaped invention.
Darkest Wedding opens with a darker almost gothic air to its presence, a theatrical essence reminding of MCR colliding enjoyably with the melodic and harmonic fire of the song, which in turn has a feel of Forever Still to it. Fair to say the track does not impact as potently as its predecessors on its first few showings but instead smoulders and almost burns away at thoughts to emerge as a rich tempting over time.
Both Invincible and Bury Me Next To Elvis have body and emotions fully involved, the first again maybe needing a few more listens to complete its persuasion compared to earlier songs, but with a rip-roaring essence to its rich melodic breezes and a potent drama to the keys matched by the ever tempting vocals of Monroe, the song only wins the day. The second of the two shows its thick seductive hand early before bursting into an exhilarating tango of thumping beats, seductive grooves, and enflamed melodies matched by the siren tones Monroe. The song is glorious, sheer intoxication.
The poppier enticing of Don’t Feel Right is just as endowed with rhythmic muscle and sparkling invention as anything on the album whilst the evocative roar of Who I Am provides a conflagrant wind of emotion and creative drama. Both only impress, but get outshone by the immersive depths and kicky exploits of Bedroom Karate, the song a huge bracing bluster with an intricate invention at its heart.
The closing reflective hug of Holding On has the album leaving on another energetically imposing and captivating high, its rugged balladry a final voracious kiss on ears and pleasure. As that song, Gold Dust is an illustrious and majestic offering as at ease getting its rock hands dirty as it is in powerfully seducing the listener. Certainly some tracks out-perform others but from start to finish album and The Dirty Youth leave a smile on lips and a spring in the step.
Gold Dust is available from May 11th @ http://www.thedirtyyouth.bigcartel.com/ and most online stores.
http://www.thedirtyyouth.com https://www.facebook.com/thedirtyyouth
RingMaster 11/05/2015
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