The Struts
Young & Dangerous

The recent rise of Greta Van Fleet has sparked a debate on revisionism in the music field.

In particular, there's a question about how debatable this new trend is of directly taking certain references (without altering them in the slightest) and presenting them as-is in 2018. Approaching this “Young & Dangerous,” the second long-distance effort by The Struts, the questions remain the same; Luke Spiller, an undoubtedly highly talented, eccentric, and charismatic frontman, gets dressed by Zandra Rhodes, Freddie Mercury's costume designer. This already says pretty much everything, except that besides Queen, the band from Derbyshire cites influences such as The Darkness, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Oasis, and Def Leppard—people who have always drawn from rock's glorious past.

So the question is: how should an album that is boldly and unabashedly anchored in the past be evaluated? By asking a simple question: are The Struts good? The answer is yes. They are undoubtedly extremely explosive live (if you play this genre well and with charisma, it's hard not to be impactful), but here we are talking about a studio album, and it's an absolutely convincing record.

As already mentioned, there's no trace of novelty among the grooves of this sophomore effort: Spiller and company offer a classic rock that's brash, irreverent, and unrestrained. They pick here and there like a child who finds themselves locked in a room full of toys and starts compulsively playing with everything at hand: the much-referenced Queen (“Ashes”), The Darkness (“Primadonna Like Me”), early The Killers (“Fire”), Def Leppard (“Body Talks,” also present in a second version featuring Kesha). Almost no iconic rock band is left out, in a mix of guitars, vocals, and bombastic production that will delight those who believe rock is still where we left it.

“Young & Dangerous” is a good album, The Struts know what they are doing and they can write songs; it can be a decent pleasure for the ears, as long as one manages not to think about how derivative they sound and anchored to a decade that won't return.

In short, for genre enthusiasts, or for those seeking something new within this genre, this new album could be a truly satisfying and fun listen. If you're looking for well-played, well-written rock with just the right amount of swagger, that is.

Best track: Fire (Part 1)