YOUNG KNIVES RIP UP THE RULE BOOK!!!!!!
Oxford brothers Henry and Thomas Dartnall plus mate Oliver Askew AKA Young Knives bring us their new album ‘Barbarians’ which basically rips up the rule book when it comes to our long held beliefs of musical genre and I’m guessing that that is the point of this ear bending, bull ride of an album. The key inspiration for the album though came through reading the philosopher John Gray’s book, Straw Dogs. Central to the book’s argument is that no matter what progress humanity makes, or what advances we make in our understanding of how the universe works, we as a species have become no less barbaric.
There is nothing sweet, nothing tailored…nothing pretty about the sounds that appear and disappear constantly from its belly, and it takes a brave soul to dig into its meanings and subtleties, but when you do listen, and you do envelope yourself of its character and its layers, you will find all number of aches and pains, humour and disdain, and hammer and tongs that make you listen with gritted teeth that in some ways isn’t unpleasant. Music isn’t just there to be mush and generic, God no! It is supposed to be alive, innovative, exploratory and passionate. It should debate, argue and bring excitement. This album does all of that in waves! Erratic as it is angry and crazy as it is demanding. Initially it is a challenging listen. Like all seasoned artistic moments in life, it jumps up at you like an over excited puppy, begging for attention or it’s going to bite your bloody ankle with some sharp teeth if you don’t at least give it some moments of your time!
TRACK LISTING
- 1.Swarm
- 2.Society for Cutting Up Men
- 3.Jenny Haniver
- 4.Red Cherries
- 5.I Am Awake
- 6.Holy Name ’68
- 7.Barbarians
- 8.Sheep Tick
- 9.Only a God
- 10.What I Saw
REVIEW BY LLOYD WAKELING 7/10
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
