Product Description

Debut album from unique Leicestershire indie band who weaveelements of parochial Englishness (suburbia, paganism, mythand legend) into the now-familiar blueprint of dancefloor oriented post-punk. Produced by Gang Of Four's Andy Gill (Stranglers, Futureheads, Chilli Peppers), whose band, and theircontemporaries XTC, are obvious influences on the Knives. Includes the singles 'Here Comes The Rumour Mill', 'She's Attracted To', 'Weekends And Bleak Days' and 'The Decision'.

Track Listing

1. Part Timer
2. Decision
3. Weekends And Bleak Days (Hot Summer)
4. In The Pink
5. Mystic Energy
6. Here Comes The Rumour Mill
7. Tailors
8. Half Timer
9. She's Attracted To
10. Dialing Darling
11. Another Hollow Line
12. Coastguard
13. Loughborough Suicide
14. Tremblings Of Trails

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6072 in Music
• Released on: 2006-08-21
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk
Three young men who dress like old men who hail from the decidedly un-rock'n'roll environs of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, The Young Knives may not immediately resemble a band bound for the big time. Their Voices Of Animals And Men, however - the follow-up to 2002 mini-album Young Knives Are Dead - demonstrates the sort of furious ambition and unfettered eccentricity that has catapulted bands like Queen, Sparks and - oh yes - The Darkness into the British musical consciousness. Musically, we're talking lean, 70s-tinged art-rock a la Gang Of Four or many of their myriad modern copyists. It's the vocal interplay of Henry Dartnall and his brother 'The House Of Lords' (so nicknamed because he vetoes the band's best ideas) that's truly their calling card, amusing narratives like "Weekends And Bleak Days (Hot Summer)" and the immortal meet-the-parents tale "She's Attracted To" delivered in shrill, priggish Middle English accents. Rollicking good fun, but a whole album of it could get obnoxious, so thank goodness for the likes of "Tailors", a mid-album interlude of chattering sewing machine and gentle, Syd Barrett-style vocal whimsy. --Louis Pattison

Amazon.co.uk
Three young men who dress like old men who hail from the decidedly un-rock'n'roll environs of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, The Young Knives may not immediately resemble a band bound for the big time. Their Voices Of Animals And Men, however - the follow-up to 2002 mini-album Young Knives Are Dead - demonstrates the sort of furious ambition and unfettered eccentricity that has catapulted bands like Queen, Sparks and - oh yes - The Darkness into the British musical consciousness. Musically, we're talking lean, 70s-tinged art-rock a la Gang Of Four or many of their myriad modern copyists. It's the vocal interplay of Henry Dartnall and his brother 'The House Of Lords' (so nicknamed because he vetoes the band's best ideas) that's truly their calling card, amusing narratives like "Weekends And Bleak Days (Hot Summer)" and the immortal meet-the-parents tale "She's Attracted To" delivered in shrill, priggish Middle English accents. Rollicking good fun, but a whole album of it could get obnoxious, so thank goodness for the likes of "Tailors", a mid-album interlude of chattering sewing machine and gentle, Syd Barrett-style vocal whimsy. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

A slow burner that ends up like a forest fire.
Initialy it struck me as good album that had a few standout tunes on it. But the more I listened to it the more it consumed me. It's an awsome album. And unlike a lot of 'new' music I dont seem to get bored with it.

It's probably my favourite album of the last 12 months.

It's punky, quirky, balsy, inteligent but uncomplicated.

A real gem.

Not a lot of point describing the tunes as you can go check em out on you tube.

This album should have won the Mercury
Brilliant, it's not often these days that I stumble across something this outstanding, I was watching Glasto coverage and saw The Decision which intrigued me enough to find the Young Knives on MySpace and that was it, Hot Summers, The Decision, She's Attracted to, an inspired collection of indie based songs with Smiths/Gang of Four/Xtc influences, only probably more catchy than any of them.
How this didn't win Mercury Award I'll never know but that should at least ensure another year or two of this unpretentious approach before fame and money take over!

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
I first heard the young knives on MTV2 when they played the new video for 'the decision' i was hugely amazed and decided to look for moer on their music on youtube. ater listening to some more of their tracks i decided that i was going to buy this album. I was indisicive after listening to the album for the first time. Their were 4 or 5 tand out tracks and nothing else. I thaught i had just wasted another tenner on a album of a few singles and some moderate other tracks to fill the album out. As ave continously listened to the cd i now have the view that it iw one of the best albums of the century. I will now review 3 of my favourite tracks.

The Decision- As the song that got me into the band i have to admit that this is a work of pure genius. The song is more mellow than the opening track but yet it has has a great bouncy rhythm. Do not expect ,much of this song to make sence as it has some extremly bizzare lyrics especially the opening lyrics to the chorus. "the horses in the new forest, are running in their sunday best". 5 out of 5.

Shes Atrracted To- This song shows of the more comic nature to the young knives song writing talent. The song describes a character meeting his girlfriends parents for the first time. However, he is not impressed by them, and they are not fond of him. The song has some great quotable lyrics eg "your dad cornered me while you were in the loo, he gave me a right talking to, he said i was a terorist!" And a catchy chorus and outro with some rememberable repetitive shouts. 5 out of 5

Tailos- This is definately one of the most remarkebly strange yet brilliant song i am yet to hear. The song, as you can imagine is about tailors. It is a slow track with some 'lullaby like' singing by Henry Dartnell. It also has some moments which still make me laugh for example the "button button button" section. I love lis song yet loathe it. 5 out of 5.