You Me At Six Hold Me Down - Album Review

Released	11 January 2010 (see release history)
Recorded	August–November 2009 at Outhouse Studios, Reading, England
Genre	Pop punk, alternative rock, pop rock
Length	40:37
Label	Virgin
Producer	Matty O'Grady, John Mitchell Rating                8.5/10

Hold Me Down is You Me At Six's second full length studio album released on January 11th 213 through Virgin Records, following a two year gap from previous "Take Off Your Colours", this is the first release with a major label.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, the album features No. 5 on the UK album charts, and also certified Gold in the UK for 100,000 shipments of copies.

Coming far in such a short space of time,. You Me At Six have definitely earnt the greatest new band to catch on to so many people, as I myself have found my lips move along to lyrics ever so easily, keeping the true American pop punk feel to a new British quintet.

First of, introducing us into the new and improved YMAS, we have "The Consequences" with the beaming sounds of an ambulance siren, blares before the first heavy riff of the guitar comes into play, familiarizing us with heir old catchy upbeat beats. Vocal wise, Josh has concered a new stern approach to the start of Hold Me Down, as we are hearing a continuous vocal sound, changed in tone yet still keeping the same repetitive approach from the previous album. As a starting song, The Consequences does well, getting the crowd going with their fast paced British pop punk bounce, the band have infused a rather new bridge, firstly appearing to be the ending of the song, before all tension is picked backed up to highlight it's stress. Here we are hearing a more heavier, layered coverings of sound as, screaming vocals of Josh have been layered on to produce a very effective ending.

Dan flint takes full authority of the next song "Underdog" proving to be a sly slip in the album, this song again reminds us of "Finders Keepers" from the previous album, with it's childish, teenaged dispute themes displayed. However grown up in these two years, there is a clear shown development in their sounding as well as lyrically. To me this is the song which sums up the band with a highly catchy chorus, snappy repetitive lyrics as well as huge mixture of riffs. Being one of the shortest songs from the album, it defiantly highlights Josh's vocals which are strained to prove more power than ever shown before as an artist, growing constantly we are stunned by his talent to overcome such a song.

Snappy, finger clicking beat, "Playing The Blame Game" returns our sense of nostalgia back to the bands origin of themes, with its hateful lyrical aimed at an ex lover, Josh aggressively attacks his past emotions of being betrayed and hurt into a powerful song, recalling some painful memories in which he has overcame, it relates to his young state of being so niave in a relationship and how the misstakes we make were just holding him down. Third song in and the album has alrady proved to top "Take off your colours" with its more structured and clean sounding insturmental beats as well as stern vocal topics.
Attacking the audience enough, it's time for a slghtly less harsh approach to take form into a balad style song, with "Stay with me" provining a more simple layout. A more heatfilled song, stay with me has a chorus which is simple yet thoughful, the stress in Josh's voice changes ever so slightly expanding his pure emotion for you to "stay with him". Again following this pattern of talking about isolation and lonleyless, this song is a plea for help in a rough time in the darkness alone. Keeping the hard instrumental background, this song gives off a completly different feel and atmosphere to the album, proving that YMAS are versitle, pulling off an emotinal song yet still adding their punk vibe to it.

I would say that this album focuses mainly on the previous heartbreaks of broken relationships which went wrong, leading these unresolved feelings aside to be put into a song. Closly following this slow balad style, "Safer To Hate Her" relates to their previous work, pushing forwath a more serious and strong side, showing Josh to be ineffectively and strong. Chucking in another follow up " Take Your Breath Away" ends the upbeat battle of ballads, clearing all the rocky feels to the collection of songs.
I feel the band have been very clever in the placement of songs as adding a collection of ballads together hooks you to listen to more of the album as though its an untold story waiting to be unfolded, the quintet have gathered their thoughts leaving the listener to relate closely to what they are singing about, with each song interlinking with the other, it proves to paint a bigger picture.
This driven obsession in which is lyrical claimed in this song, drives the passion in what Josh has with his music to that one lover he is always thinking about. "I only have eyes for you" yet never letting go of what's no longer his.

Like stay with me, "Liquid Confidence" restores the album back to reality a bit, as the band have shown a progression in the petty little bitchiness of girls, this song proves to be a breaker of boundaries. Settled in the middle of the album, the softer intake sweetly settles you down, with the light touch of Josh's vocals, drummer Dan flint also creates a break here, easing up a bit on the heaviness. The song is more stretched out lyrically, yet keeping the short snappy, repetitive bridge in, it's structure keeps true to the bands intentions. And of course this is the calm before the storm as next to follow "Hard To Swallow" sweeps right in with it's 1, 2/2 beat repeating over and over again, You Me At Six have now mastered this to be their trade into beat. Josh competing with his vocals a further amount, he has explored new heights within this song, providing a new sound in each pitch he reaches. The whole songs sounds kicks about this whole riot theme which is just waiting to be exploded with the build up of the bridge sets the pre chorus up before exploding right into the final chorus with full enthusiasm.

"Contagious Chemistry" again is another build up song which layers quickly emerge in a louder tempo of sounds collaborating with its metronome drum bass, the song is easy to follow along with just at first glance. However a surprised ending tops the song with it's full frontal outbreak of "You Bitch!"
For me, "There Is No Such Thing As Accidental Infidelity" does not seem as relevant to be in the album, a lot of it's sounding are just grabbed from other song in this album, however the bass and drums are key to be heard here, showing off with they're tricky composition,  Josh's dragged out lines, pull him back to his soft ballad side and we are made to feel at ease, the faded out ending then composed well with the next intro sounding a lot like a Young Guns song. This new familiar sent, then takes on a bold structure as "Trophy eyes" is layered with a breaking chorus once again, if there's one thing that you me at six get right, it's there brilliantly composed choruses. Involving an instrumental side more than lyrical, this song breaks from all the rest, clearly standing out amongst the album allowing the other members to shine through.

Finally we end the album on a dimmed light, "Fireworks" proves to be a song which you would find of a Paramore album. Taking slower steps, Josh is almost talking here, recapping a memorable, heartwarming story which is troubled, where the soft strums of the guitar accomply it perfectly. Lyrically this song is strong and a wise choice to finish the album with as it leaves us thinking deep in thought, touching deep and meaningful memories. Reaching the peakness of the bridge, Josh pulls out all his strings, topping that high note and leaving it in the air in a pure rage of passion and emotion, when hearing the song it really does touch you to feel his pain as you can easily relate.

Overall, I believe the album to be as strong as the first, however not quite topping it. A massive improvement has been shown here from just two years ago, releasing this album with Virgin has done wonders for them , allowing them to get further noticed and famous. It just shows how much work they have put in has paid off, with Sinners Never Sleep to be their third album and another on its way in 2014, the future is only just beginning for YMAS.