The lead single from Dirty Rascal’s debut leads the way on this ten track introduction to the band. It’s a great summer sounding song , light and full of tight melodies and a cool laid back vibe that transports you back to more carefree days and has a hint of the 80’s about it. It’s a great song and perhaps the best here and the only track penned by Simon McSweeney.
Next up ‘What Would Love Do’ rings out with a white reggae sound that’s rather gentle as it enfolds you in its soft charms. And as you dig deeper then you find more gems like the funky key-infused pop of ‘Ease and Grace’, the searching and rather reflective and Folk-tinged ‘Self Made Man’, the rockier ‘Shockwaves’ as well as the Peter McGeehan penned ‘Rolling Thunder’ which adds a little grunt and cool frayed blues feel before the melodies crash in, it may even be my favourite her at the moment.
And the deeper you dig the more you find to cherish with both ‘Two Fires’ and its swing and sway and old time feel and closer ‘No Compromise’ which has a real luscious arrangement and epic feel that in scope really leaves you wondering what comes next: it’s grand and it’s beautiful and it very nearly steals the show. Both songs hit the spot in very different ways.
As an album ‘You Be the King’ doesn’t shy away from diversity and as a statement its a rather mellow one in a sea of harder rock, but in that mellowness it finds a kind of understated cool that should appeal to older listeners who think that they don’t make music like this anymore. It’s also and album that has a real uplifting feel and we all need that don’t we. Andrew McSweeney has done a great job here and has a band around hi that have a great sound with lots of melody and texture. Catch them live when you can.
