You Me At Six fans better prepare to be ‘suckapunch-ed’ in the ear holes! Why? Because the English band are back with their brand new album Suckapunch which arrived on Friday, January 15, 2021 via Underdog Records / AWAL.
A follow up to 2018’s VI, Suckapunch marks their seventh studio album and finds the band searching for new inspiration. Doing just that, they decided to escape from the UK for a bit to record at Karma Sound Studio in Bang Saray, Thailand; a place the band says allowed them to slow down and find new creative influences. That in mind, if you have been a fan of You Me At Six all these years, unlike their previous albums, Suckapunch has plenty of new sounds you might not be accustomed to hear from these veteran rockers.
Consisting of 11 songs in total, getting right into is the Garage Rock styled “Nice To Me.” An upbeat way to start the album, it will have bobbing your head along to some cool electronic drums and synth. Next up, gritty distorted Punk vibes are the make-up of “MAKEMEFEELALIVE.” The heaviest song on the record, and perhaps one of the heaviest performed by the band to date, it is raw and rough around the edges, but in a good way. Comparable to cuts like “Kill The Mood,” it is dirty Rock-n-Roll at its filthiest.
Moving right along the album’s lead single, “Beautiful Way,” is easily another bold moment And if the catchy and punchy lyrics of “We’re fucked up in a beautiful way!” are not enough to grab the your attention, then maybe the Electronic title-track will be more your speed. Perfectly titled, synthesizers may start the Pop vibe of “Suckapunch,” but it is the high energy and bass drop that follows which make it well worthwhile!
All these factors in mind, the icing on the cupcake has to be “Glasgow.” A standout moment, especially for fans who enjoy languid Emo songs full of deep, meaningful lyrics, it starting off slow, yet dreamy, but soon morphs into a Rock ballad of the highest order. Which leads us to the grand finale, the genre-blending “What’s It Like.” Chalked full of Hip Hop and R&B influences, it is a experimental odyssey that show you that after 16 long years together, You Me At Six are still growing!
Overall, each song that makes up Suckapunch flows effortlessly into one another. From beginning to end, the experimentation of Hip Hop and R&B elements sound phenomenal, as do the meshing of gritty, dirty Garage Rock. Taking risks, trying something new, and finding success, Cryptic Rock gives Suckapunch 5 out of 5 stars.
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