You Me At Six regularly deliver good rock albums. Truth Decay, which has been released on 10th February 2023, is already the eighth major release by the band. I had the opportunity to have a liaten.
You Me At Six – About The Artists
You Me At Six is an English rock quintet. It has been founded in Weybridge, Surrey, in 2004. The key influence of the band’s sound are punk an alternative rock. Four founding members are still in the line up. The lead singer is Josh Franceschi, the guitars are played by Max Helyer and Chris Miller and Matt Barnes is the bassist of the band since over 2018. Only Dan Flint, the drummer and percussionist of the band, took over the role from Joe Phillips in 2007. This is one year before the debut album Take Off Your Colours has been released. The second album, Hold Me Down (2010) , has already been a Top 5 Album placement in the United Kingdom and Scotland. Two albums even topped the charts in these markets: the 2014 Cavalier Youth and their latest, the 2021 Suckapunch.
You Me At Six – Truth Decay – Track by Track
The thirteen song album lasts 46 minutes.
1. Deep Cuts
Deep Cuts is indeed what you call a hot start. The song with the memorable guitar riffs and the catching, melodic chorus had over three million streams on Spotify already before album release. It just cannot deny that it is the core song of this long-play.
2. Mixed Emotions (I Didn’t Know How to Tell You What I Was Going Through)
Even though I just cannot stand having other musical thoughts when I read Mixed Emotions – the second song of the album is another great listen. A typical You Me At Six song with a lot of power in the instruments and an energetic performance on the mike.
3. God Bless The 90’s Kids
Okay, I am getting old… I would much rather bless the late 1970’s kids… The ones who enjoyed the full 1980’s. You Me At Six has another view on that. Finally, I can contract to their praises, not to their song. Even though it is not that much of a smasher like the two ones before, its stomping style has a really nice touch.
4. After Love In The After Hours
The “really” new songs, which have not been featured as single releases, are rather in the second half of the album. This four minute track is indeed the exception. After Love In The After Hours starts slowly, but then turns into the typical You Me At Six sound.
5. No Future? Yeah Right
While the opening of the album was rather straight modern rock sound, songs like No Future? Yeah Right give the right spices to this British rock curry. The band is experimenting with some electronic backing sounds, which works quite nice and leads to a different style.
6. heartLESS
Working with some electronic elements works even better in heartLESS. I wouldn’t call the song a power ballad (maybe just because it is too powerful), but it some rather emotional parts, before the quintet is freeing the guitars and their riffs again. Nice song with a cool groove.
7. Who Needs Revenge When I’ve Got Ellen Rae
This close to three minute song opens the section of (majorly) “new” songs. The acoustic guitar-style strumming in the background adds a nice touch. However, the song feels to be rather too much in line with some of the previous listens.
8. Breakdown
Breakdown is another surprising listen on the album. The electronic sounds are back, the vocals have a strong hip hop touch, so that the song overall has a very unique groove in this set of songs. I wouldn’t necessarily say it works out very well, but I appreciate the feature.
9. Traumatic Iconic
This 2:46 minute song is the shortest one on the album. It delivers a solid You Me At Six sound. Not innovative, but a track made to enjoy for fans of the band.
10. :mydopamine:
This previous single release has its very own touch, as it is much more bass-driven than other songs of the album. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t rate the song too high, even if that sound is a good change-up to the album sound.
11. A Smile To Make You Weak(er) At The Knees
Here is the hidden gem beyond the “non-released” tracks. There also seems to be an eleven track version of the album, which closes with A Smile To Make You Weak(er) At The Knees – definitely a way to finish listening the album with a smile.
12. Ultraviolence
The second last track of the album heavily works with synth sounds. It feels more melancholic, though. Not a song made for the skip button, but I don’t see it becoming a part of many personal playlists.
13. A Love Letter To Those Who Feel Lost (feat. Cody Frost)
I praised A Smile To Make You Weak(er) At The Knees as a great (potential) chucker-out – but this very melodic finale with female vocalist Cody Frost is definitely not bad at all as well.
You Me At Six – Truth Decay – Spotify
Here is the album on Spotify:
You Me At Six – Truth Decay – My View
Truth Decay starts with a bang. Unfortunately, after the incredible Deep Cuts, it just cannot connect to the that high level of rock music songwriting. That’s really a shame, as the album is not bad at all. Nonetheless, you have to admit that some tracks don’t work as well as you might expect them to do.
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