From the menacing prowl of opener and title-track ‘Night People’ to the blistering pace of its successor ‘Plus One’, it’s clear that You Me At Six have arena-sized intentions. After dropping four albums in 10 years, could you blame the pop-punk pantheon for turning their back on the genre to break new ground?
They’ve nailed the bigger, bolder sound and high-octane pace, and Josh Franceschi’s vocals have enough bite to rip a stadium to pieces. But in magnifying their sound they’ve diluted the idiosyncrasies that set them apart from every other five-piece rock band. Gone are those lyrical hooks that caught quicker than fire and the riffs that were instantly recognisable.
There’s barely a convincing lyric in the album and by the end you’re wondering whether the title itself has been chosen based on the sheer novelty. ‘Night People’ may well be the album to help You Me At Six to bigger crowds and higher places but it’s a question of whether they’ll do it with their integrity intact.
4/10
Words: Lisa Henderson
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