Artist: You Me At Six
Album: Sinners Never Sleep
Release Date: Jan. 24
Label: Virgin
Grade: B
Catchy choruses with guitar riffs swirl among lyrics about bad breakups as British pop-punkers You Me At Six strive to exemplify their genre in their third full-length release, Sinners Never Sleep.
Although kazoos can be heard blending with drums on the latest release, lead singer Josh Franceschi and company attempt to break their previous stereotype and opted for heavier sounding songs, an approach that is a success at times.
"Loverboy," the first single, opens the album with the slack, carefree gang vocals before the drums kick in, a typical opening for a pop-punk group. As the intro concludes, it becomes clear Franceschi's vocals have grown from the last album, developing a harder, grittier sound.
However, the second track, "Jaws on the Floor" fails to impress, particularly as Franceschi curses with no conviction, as if his parents might catch him.
The slight miss of the early track can be redeemed as Sinners Never Sleep boasts two standout numbers in the form of "Bite My Tongue"and "Little Death." Teaming up with Oli Sykes of hardcore band Bring Me the Horizon, You Me At Six hones its heavier sound.
Franceschi's coarse vocals and angst-laden lyrics mix with Sykes' determined and impassioned cursing, bringing the lyrics to life.
"Little Death" has just the right mix of pop and rock mixed together like peanut butter and chocolate. However, the lyrics taste more like cotton candy mixed with pickle juice in a drunken stupor with only one repeating verse and a powerless chorus.
The remainder of the album is full of forgettable ballads. "Crash" falls short of expectations while the band fails to reinvent themselves. "Time is Money," featuring Winston McCall of metalcore band Parkway Drive,shows that You Me At Six simply cannot mix with a metalcore sound, particularly since its fan base is mainly teenaged girls.
Sinners Never Sleep seems to be a well-conceived effort to change You Me At Six's image in the music industry. There are a handful of solid tracks among forgettable ones, typical of most albums bands put out to twist their style. Finally releasing this album in the United States after three months of release in the U.K. will most likely expand their fan base and put them on the mainstream map.
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