Artist - Kids In Glass Houses
Release Date - 29-March-2010
Singles (To Date) - Youngblood (Let It Go), Matters At All
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
(L-R) Philip Jenkins, Andrew Shay, Aled Phillips, Joel Fisher, Iain Mahanty
drummer, bassist, vocalist, guitarist, guitarist
ABOUT THE BAND:
Kids In Glass Houses are a five-piece band that formed in 2003 from Cardiff, Wales.
They were nominated for Best British Newcomer in 2007, but were beaten by Gallows.
They have also toured with number of bands including: LostProphets, The Used, Funeral For a Friend, 30 Seconds To Mars, Paramore, New Found Glory, Enter Shikari and Fightstar.
ALBUM - DIRT:
They went into recording on August 1st 2009. Youngblood (Let It Go) had been released 5th October 2009 followed by Matters At All, released 31st January 2010. Track 9, "Undercover Lover" features guest vocals from Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays.
TRACK LINEUP:
Artbreaker 1
The Best Is Yet To Come
Sunshine
Matters At All
Yougnblood (Let It Go)
Lilli Rose
Giving Up
For Better Or Hearse
Undercover Lover
Maybe Tomorrow
The Morning Afterlife
Hunt The Haunted
Artbreaker 2
Song Reviews
Artbreaker 1:
Begins off rtaher quiet (like a broken radio) then jumps into a "full headphone" sound once it's played its main guitar line once. The lyrics suggest that it's very similar to a HEartbreak, but yet again, ir references towards that maybe music is the art behind it all, (I love the way you call it art / When you never even use your heart / I just wanna tear you apart). It also goes on about the likeness of fame, and possibly how easy it is for some people to achieve, or possibly how people seem to see how easy it is, when in reality it's a completely different ball game.
Song Rating - 8/10
The Best Is Yet To Come:
The beginning of this one seems to half carry on from the last one, and references to a person who he possibly once knew. One theme that seems to come through on several songs is relationship (HEartbreaker? Lilli Rose? Undercover Lover?)
and that he seems to let out little hints that he's either going to try stay with her, that he's possibly pushing her to something she doesn't want to do (Lie down slowly / Don't you fool me / Cause I don't wanna be alone tonight / The best is yet to come). The bridge also shows a reference that she promised something she's not willing to deliver yet.
Song Rating - 6/10
Sunshine:
OH MY FAVORITE!
This one is definitely one you'd wish to play in a middle of a break {along with This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things}. It seems that he's begging for her to talk to him, and how he seems to regret what he's done. He also seems to show that people should just be greatful for what's there instead of wishing for better. (Stop wishing for the sunshine (WOAAH-OH)/ Start living in the rain (WOAAH-OHH) / Stop telling me to feel fine (WOAAH-OHH) / Start living with the pain). He seems to know exactly what he's done, knows it cannot be kept hidden and that they need to talk this out. The guitar/bass just seem repetitive and show nothing to be commented on {i noticed i hadn't commented on it so far! Nothings jumped out at me yet to comment on sorry}
Song Rating - 9.5/10 {It's brilliant! but i cannot Ten It :( }
Matters At All:
This one seems to give us the idea that maybe they've only had a short relationship up to now, and that she isn't what people usually look for {in the media, at least}. The guitar seems so jumpy and upbeat it seems almost unusual. The way that the backing vocals just go "ahh-ahh-ahh-ah-ahh" {hard to reflect on internet!}, just the way that music seems to go quite when he's mentioning that maybe she left him, and the way they come back when he appears to be "arguing" with her telling her it's majoroity her fault is just pure GENIUS! He seems to mention she has habits which could possibly kill her someday, that she once seemed to have an amazing future but then left it. (All these things you like to leave behind / If it matters at all [x2] / You'll wait until your first time / You'll wait until there's something wrong / Cause you'll always be the one / Who said goodnight). Also the way that whenever Aled sings "if it matters at all" even makes me thing "god, have a screwed up?!". It just seems a massive hardhitting thing that must make you rethink going into a relationship {and yes, I am happily single... does it show?}. One last comment before I leave this song... GOODNIGHT ALED!
Song Rating - 9/10
YoungBlood (Let It Out)
The intro to this has barely any guitar, which possibly shows that it's very basic, which might explain why he wants to let it out. Then to pull all the instruments in when he's shouting about letting it out might show that not only do the basic people (e.g. the two in the relationship) want to tell all secrets, that maybe others around them want them too. He also expresses that he's slightly sick of being where he is and that well... Young Boys, Young Girls? Says enough about why he wants to go somewhere knew, and maybe she should just allow him, since he's been letting his imagination do all the work recently. (Youngboy chasing his prayers upstairs / A white light a red line / And her thighs / On his mind)
Song Rating? - 6/10
Lilli Rose
Welcome Lilli, one thing we must have learnt so far is your possibly a fictional character who seems to be, to say the least, a dirty little Rose who the guy, out of all people, seems to like. He expresses that she may have dropped hints about leaving, and pretty much begs her not to. Having a soft guitar and bass may show that shes fragile but in her own way. Then having a thicker textile might show something that maybe this Lilli Rose isn't exactly his girl. (I don't wanna loose you / But I never really had you before). And then to end with a simple (Lilli Rose eat your heart out / At the speed of light) suggests that maybe she wanted him as well, but him being taken, maybe a major problem for her, causing her to want to leave.
Song Rating - 7/10
Giving Up
It seems that maybe him and Lilli Rose have called it quits. He mentions all sorts that he possibly cannot do without her, personally I think this might be him trying to tell her that the depression he's about to go through will near enough kill him, as he wont have the courage to go to sleep without her being there, but he just wants to completely forget about her. (Cause we come from different towns / And recognise the sound of giving up) A very slow ballad which is very much guitar and drums driven with a soothing bass underlying. We get afew different, uncommon-in-rock instruments but if just adds to the disaster of Giving Up.
Song Rating - 8/10
For Better Or Hearse
Rather cheeky title, and that it seems like a very bass driven song but so upbeat. The lyrics give off a sense that he may be somewhere he knows, that he has a warning that he won't leave but he's going to die, so he seems to see a comfort for it after what's going on in his life, and how it seems to have happened before. The fact that this is possibly one of the only songs in the album that has a solo in might suggest he's going it Solo, and that he doesn't really seem arsed as it appears to be a turn around in his whole life. Man this is such an upbeat song, I don't think I can lowmark it, despite the fact I don't really like it. (This is the warning / Never gonna get / Never gonna get me out this town / Let's that the mouring / Never gonna see / Never gonna see another day)
Song Rating - 7/10
Undercover Lover
Guest Vocals Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays
This song is so upbeat, it possibly shows that he has found a new lass, which could be good or it could be bad. We must see. But one thing he seems to be seeing is that he wants to keep it quite incase anything goes wrong. He also seems to go on about the best way to get her to stay around and listing the differences between her now and his old woman (I had a good day / Doing things the wrong way / Your my undercover lover / You get your kicks for free). Several times throughout the song, she mentions that it's "killing" her and how they just need to forget about something{possibly keeping it quiet? Or maybe a one-night stand?}
Song Rating - 6/10 {it's never grasped me I'm sorry}
Maybe Tomorrow
This seems to show that he feels he's seen it all before, and that he knows how it's going to play out. But he seems to wish that tomorrow might bring something a little different to what he is used to, and he still goes out as it's the last thing he might want to do. (Maybe tomorrow brings a song / And we all sing along) meaning that maybe it'll be WAY different {since when did a day bring a song?} The song doesn't seem to have a fanscinating music section to comment on, but it has a crowd vocal in the background too.
Song Rating - 7/10
The Morning Afterlife
I think it's hit him that somethings happened. Maybe this is Tomorrow's song. He sings about how he doesn't seem to really think that there's a reason to keep going and that the world has basically told him it's time for him to give up. (Just when you thought the world was yours / When you thought you had it all / Just when you thought you'd done enough to get you through the night). It seems that it could have been putting on a brave face where in his own reality he's ready to give himself into the darkness of the night and call it quits for the days. He also seems to be telling someone close to him how he's feeling, trying to make them think how he is, also trying to ask them questions that he himself does not know the answer too, in which no-one but possibly God himself {sorry I'm refered to as catholic but I aint} knows. The solo which happens show's the stress and that {like mentioned before} that he's going it solo. Then for Aled to give a lovely performance of (Who do you trust when all I know is at home in / All the wars? / And I’ve been somewhere, I’ve been somewhere / Who do you turn to when the best of everyone you / Knew has turned on you?) It doesn't appear to be a song to be taken seriously, but it's also a song that shows that maybe some things are simply not meant to be, and that maybe no matter how you try, it'll never happen. Really emotional.
Possibly the song I fell in love after Sunshine
Song Rating - 9.5/10
Hunt the Hanted
Starting off with a full, minor sounding band could possibly give off the impression of hope she has hidden. The way he starts off with the lyrics about a female might suggest that maybe he has a new crush going on. But also the fact it suggests that somewhere's being haunted could suggest his ex-girlfriend has either died or is still trying to save their now-dead relationship. (She's gunna hunt your home / And break your bones / Never gunna leave your soul alone / 'Cause the things you got are gunna leave you on your own.) It might also suggest HE might be the one that has died, not her, and that either of them are going to be alone at the end of it. (When my body is cold / Decorate me in gold / Awake's a party / Have a good time). {Also I believe that a beginning must have an end, which could be expressed in this movie} Having the same hoping feeling guitar line going on seems to express that maybe this is an end he is going to love the beginning of, or that he might finally see that no matter how dark this stage in his life is getting, their will always be a light at the end f the tunnel for him.
Song Rating - 9/10
Artbreaker II
Pretty much is like Artbreaker I, apart from it is abit heavier and hard hitting, which could express that maybe now his story has ended, that he is beginning to see that it will just start all over again. Also the fact that it has a guitar solo could show that now it's HEartbreaker II, that he's going to start being just a "HEartbreaker" by remainning single, and that maybe his love songs cannot be art anymore as he hasn't got his heart into love and relationships anymore. So maybe that the guitar solo's may show that he's starting to go it alone could suggest that Artbreaker II is alot different to his original self at the beginning of the song. Also the way he seem's to chant (This is not the way we came to play around)
Song Rating - 8.5/10
Overall Album Rating - 8/10
Good going Kids In Glass Houses :) what next? you can have:
Either All Time Low's
LostProphets
NEW Bullet For My Valentine
We Are The Ocean
Mayday Parade
HIM
