Words by Ed King / Photograph by Eleanor Sutcliffe
On Friday 1st March, You Dirty Blue released their latest EP – Make Way for the Montage.
Available to stream online or buy for a fiver, all you need to do is visit the You Dirty Blue website and follow the links in the top right hand corner. That and buy them a beer next time you see them, when you’re getting six tracks for under a pound a pop it’s the least you can do.
Make Way for the Montage is well worth a round too, opening with the (dare I say it…) summer spangly feel of ‘Loose Hips’, as a glorious riff from Leon James stomps itself over the legato/staccato rabbit punch percussion from Martin Reynolds. The tandem vocals are back in force too, with the gruff unison delivering banter and the title lyrics, ‘Loose hips sink ships, just the way you like it’ – word play that was previously used by Gone by Tomorrow, although if you can identify any lyrics in that song then you’re probably a bat.
‘In Other Words’ continues the slight season change feeling, with a riff that makes me think of The Stranglers which is no bad thing. But comparisons aside, this is clearly a You Dirty Blue record even two tracks in. ‘Bimbada’ opens with the obligatory baby sample, at least I think it’s a baby, before some frenetic beats and swirly production and pave the way for an almost The Cure-esque melodic centre of this EP.
‘Paper Moon’ brings the garage rock (and James’ vocals) back to the forefront, whilst ‘Jumped the Gun’ screams North American road trip and gives Reynold’s the mic to call his very own. ‘Unsociable Jon’ then closes off this six track stormer of an EP with a good ol’ acerbic poke in the lyrical ribs.
Make Way for the Montage is a reminder of just how much You Dirty Blue have to offer – it’s been a nudge over a year since their sophomore EP, Tough Crowd, and the Tamworth twosome have evolved their sound just enough to keep it fresh, but maintaining a firm grip on that psychedelic prog/blues rock that we know and love them for. Job done gents, job done. And you know this is all going to be dangerously good when they play it live, which Birmingham will get a chance to see again at The Castle & Falcon on 21st April.
‘Loose Hips’ – You Dirty Blue
You Dirty Blue released their Make Way for the Montage EP on Friday 1st March. For more on You Dirty Blue, including links to online streaming and purchase points, visit www.youdirtyblue.com
For full details of the current You Dirty Blue UK tour, visit www.youdirtyblue.com/tour