The Young Knives: ...Are Dead ...And Some
Henry Dartnall, The House Of Lords (yes, that's what he calls himself!) and Oliver Askew - first hit the consciousness of underground indie lovers everywhere six years ago
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Monday, 30, Jul 2007 02:18
Shifty Disco, out now.
In a nutshell.
Short, twisted, shouty, loud, pogotastic
What's it all about?
The Young Knives Are Dead... and Some
is a short but perfectly formed collection comprising the band's first ever mini-album/EP from 2001, some added-value bonus tracks and a video to gawp at.
Who's it by?
You might have seen The Young Knives pop up in the press quite a lot of late, due to the fact that they've recently been nominated as a contender for the oh-so-prestigious Mercury Music Prize for their debut full-length album, Voices Of Animals And Men.
The band - Henry Dartnall, The House Of Lords (yes, that's what he calls himself!) and Oliver Askew - first hit the consciousness of underground indie lovers everywhere six years ago with their own unique brand of twisted art rock and an unashamedly geeky image.
Endless rounds of gigging and some well-received singles culminated in their first full album being released last summer - and now they seem poised for a modest share of glory.
As an example.
"Everybody said that she's lazy / But they're crazy, she's a weirdo." - English Rose
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Not particularly likely as they're still yet to win the hearts of the mainstream, but if they manage to nab the Mercury Music Prize that will probably be consolation enough...
What the others say
"...Are Dead ...And Some is an infectious selection of dirty scuzzy vocals and late 70s punk that makes you want to kick on the boots and scream profanities to unsuspecting indie Cindys who still claim Pete Doherty is the god of the music scene." - Forty Shades Of Noise
"The spat-out lyrics in many of the tracks don't always match the cheery music and catchy tunes but it's not long before the vocal emerges as individual and immediate, bordering on the aggressive." - The Mag
So is it any good?
In the current musical climate of identikit indie punk-touting young things and mournful singer-songwriters this revisit of The Young Knives' early output brings a breath of fresh air to the proceedings.
Opener Walking On The Autobahn is a perfect introduction to the snarling, almost guttural vocals and catchy, stop-start guitars that reverberate throughout the rest of the record, while English Rose and John sound like the band took a couple of early Blur tracks and added a good dose of sinister pop to the mix.
Rollercoaster, an early single, is perhaps the standout track just for being almost completely different from the rest of the collection. With its almost-1980s dance groove and pure pop sensibilities you might be forgiven for thinking something went wrong at the CD pressing factory. Yet its sheer catchiness and unique take on the standard Hit Pop Song is typical of The Young Knives' full-on, no-holds-barred approach to whatever they try their hand at.
They might not be going to the Grammys any time soon but it's worth keeping an eye out for their next moment in the limelight - it's unlikely to be far off.
9/10
Dipika Patel
