The Subways - Young For Eternity

It seems an age since these young scamps won the Glastonbury Unsigned competition and were catapulted to nation-wide adulation. Not bad for three kids from Welwyn Garden City, a town previously known for that town crier of MC's, Alesha Misteeq, and since known for very little else.

If it was impossible to read a review of the Subways without hearing about their baby faced youthful optimism prior to their debut album release, then "Young For Eternity" looks set to push the teen factor even further into the spotlight. There's a naive vital energy to this record that couldn't have been made by anyone who's really tasted life. Their minds are open to the possibilities of life, there's optimism in the air which hasn't been shattered by the mid twenties breakdown crisis.

The lyric "Another day is here and I am still alive" opens the album with "I Want To Hear What You Got To Say", wonderment over a countrified strum that collides with a Glitterband stomp. The vocal interplay between lovers Billy and Charlotte perfectly compliments each other. All lush feminine harmonies and raw throaty lacerations from Billy.

"Holiday" is a gloriously naive paean to escaping drudgery and existence. The idea of "walking away into the sun" with a girl in hand and no worries. Former single "Rock & Roll Queen" is a bolshy beast of a tune which is equal parts Sex Pistols, Oasis and Nirvana, but for some reason every time you hear it the image of Brian Molko in lycra entering Indie Celebrity Wresting springs to mind.

"Mary" has the naive lyrical pen of Noel Gallagher's "Digsy's Dinner" written all over and musically is a moment of perfection you'd expect McFly to come out with for their slightly rockier direction. By the sum of it's influences it should be shockingly bad, but there's something charming about it all even down to the Dick Dale surf guitar at the end. "City Pavement" and "With You" on the other hand sound like the Kinks brought up to date with the Lunn brothers preaching love rather than interband fighting. The album closer "Somewhere" is a mournful alt-country ballad with Billy and Charlotte restraining the vocals and letting the song gently flow over a descending piano motif.

"Young For Eternity" is an album which grabs you instantly and by the end of the brief 42 minutes you're desperate for more. The most life affirming debut album since Definitely Maybe!!!

Alex McCann

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