Young Guns
All Our Kings Are Dead

Another bluff or a breakthrough album? While waiting for the release of their second album, let me describe "All Our Kings Are Dead", the first work from the Londoners Young Guns. It’s worth noting that after a somewhat bleak period, Great Britain is experiencing a noticeable musical revival, driven by bands and currents more or less drawn from and revisited past. In the case of this album, there are many influences and 'meltin' pot', a term so dear to the English identifying a 'mixture' specifically in music. There's a basic indie stamp, I would dare to compare them to The Killers and even the Welsh Lostprophets, but before creating misunderstandings and letting you draw hasty conclusions, better an analysis because there’s more.

The single that dragged the album into the English charts (and a few other countries) is "Crystal Clear", but beware not to be deceived by the piece’s almost punk rock outset, certainly among the most melodic and successful on the album, but also among the simplest and least complex. In this regard, the band showcases good versatility, as evidenced by the track D.O.A., and their frontman Gustav Wood also proves to be an unpredictable songwriter, as the lyrics of Stitches are indeed very beautiful, being among the most successful pieces on the album. The piano and perhaps violin intro of "Winter Kiss" flows into good rock, with drummer Ben Joliffe (the third one in a few years!) always good at pounding without ever being heavy. The album proceeds more or less at the same levels, in both melody and quality, with an acceleration and a deceleration with a splash of post-hardcore (above all "Elements" and "Endless Grey") and a couple of more mellow tracks.

Overall, I dare say that from listening to this "All Our Kings Are Dead" you won’t come out at least dissatisfied, regardless of your tastes and preferences on the various alternative/rock/indie realities made in Britain.

These guys have what it takes to offer us some future satisfaction and at the same time make a bit of money. There are indeed ripped jeans, lacquered hair, and friendly faces, just to serve the plate ready. These days, you have to account for these kinds of choices too, music is image because whether you like it or not, "the kings of the past are dead", and for sure, the Young Guns know this well. Rating: 7.5.