Album Review

The Blackout – Start The Party

• 18th Jan 2013

This time last year, if you told me that The Blackout would release an album based on nothing more than having fun, getting wasted and, to put it bluntly, “partying”, I would have laughed. Previous songs like ‘Children Of The Night’ and ‘The Storm’ would lead you to believe that an album like Start The Party would be a huge change of direction for the Welsh rockers.

And, it is, but it works. Anyone who has seen these guys live will say they know how to have a good time; all they’ve done is prove this on record. Previously released singles like the title track and ‘Running Scared’ give us a great idea of the feel of this record, which is exactly as I’ve stated – it’s lots of fun.

The opening track, ‘Start The Party’, sees the guys in total party mood. Vocalists Gavin Butler and Sean Smith lead the way in setting the vibe. Crashing lyrics like “[We] won’t stop ‘til we hit the floor” (dancefloor, presumably) and “Don’t stop / you can sleep when you’re dead” proliferate in both verses before the massive chorus kicks in either side of the song.

There’s plenty more to party about throughout the album. ‘Take Away The Misery’ is almost autobiographical for the band, in that they’ve stepped away from their darker beginnings and are now onto brighter pastures, as they “won’t stop ‘til we see the morning light”. ‘Free Yourself’ keeps this mood with both James and Matthew Davies delivering quintessential The Blackout guitar riffs atop a Gareth Lawrence drum beat.

But we also see a softer side to The Blackout here, with the song ‘You’. Almost touching distance from Butler’s solo release last year, the album’s ballad brings Start The Party and The Blackout to new heights. Everything from the musicianship to the lyrics steps up a gear, even if the tempo doesn’t.

There are hints of The Blackout of old as well. Songs like ‘We Live On’ and especially the last track ‘Throw It All Away’, each have Smith’s trademark screaming laden with Butler’s soft vocals. The latter may be the best track from the record, echoing the aforementioned ‘The Storm’ from the band’s previous effort. Smith bellows “All the good stories are gone” over and over, while as a whole, this song could be taken to bring about the band moving in this new direction.

Releasing an album like this was, undoubtedly, a huge decision for The Blackout to make. Stepping away from what they’ve done in the past is one thing, but pulling it off is another. But not only have they pulled it off, they have shown us that, in a time of self doubt and money matters, ‘having fun’ can still be a product of hard work. It is safe to say that the party has well and truly started.

Download: Throw It All Away, Start The Party, Take Away The Misery, You.

Venue: Start The Party
Support Band: Cooking Vinyl