Bringing the 60s back to life (The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s)

Member Name: blackviolets

Product:	The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
Date:	26/08/09 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good songs, no really bad songs.

Disadvantages: unnecessarily long review!!

I tend to avoid writing up album reviews simply because I find them exceptionally difficult to do. It takes a very good album for me to go down this path so just bare with me whilst I try and do it a bit of justice!

The Dead 60s lived a relatively short life. Releasing their first album in 2004, they announced that they would be splitting in 2008. So they have in fact, only produced a disappointing 2 albums. The second one isn't really worth mentioning. Hailing from Liverpool the 4 piece band did release a series of songs as singles although they didn't have much success with them.

The Dead 60s album was released in 2005 yet I don't know many people who are aware of it. It was a lot more popular in America than over here, although their version is slightly different to the ones which the UK sell. It is quite a short CD, only lasting about 40 minutes altogether but the 13 songs it includes are little gems hidden amongst the more well known bands who dish out rubbish year after year

**1**

Riot Radio: Not a slow song which is very guitar influenced. Very quickly sung so you can't actually pick up on any of the words aside from radio and riot, sounding something like which Madness might produce, it is the first track but I also think that it's the weakest.

**2**

A Different Age: A dirty guitar rift runs through this one with a heavy drum backing whilst galloping to the end of song which only lasts 1 minute and 34 seconds. The singing, if you want to call it that, comes in about the half way mark. Although the words are a blur you can at least work out what they are. It does end up a bit abruptly which is a shame as it is the best track on the album.

**3**

Train to Nowhere: This one is a slower paced track and has more of a drum and percussion background, with very little use of any guitars. The voice is the most noticeable bit. It's ever so slightly eerie as the singing is slightly echoed. It gets louder towards the end but fades out before it gets to unbearable.

**4**

Red Light: It starts off sounding as though they are stood underneath a conservatory when it's raining. Again this is more to do with the drums in the backround than anything else. There isn't much singing to it and at the half way point the music gets cranked up a bit and then gets a war siren thrown in.

**5**

We Get Low: Back to the middle of the road paced songs this one has a lot more electric guitar packed into it. It's even as though they've taken a trip to the sea side of a hot destination. Very relaxed and easy to hum along to.

**6**

Ghostfaced Killer: This one starts off like one of those really bad childrens cartoons, with an almost jokey baseline. Like an electro piano sound or as though you've just gone into a fun fair attraction with eerie music. Almost whining at you. The song lyrics are again very catchy.

**7**

Loaded Gun: Now this one really does sound like a song which The Clash might have on one of their albums. It's very jerky, stopping and starting in odd places but has a lot more of an indie band feel to it. Although it does start off quickly it gradually slows down throughout the song before fading out.

**8**

Control this: This one is like they've made a song and then in parts rewound it in slow motion. It isn't my favourite as I don't like that there's not much of a tune to it which is what I expect from a song. The singing is more spoken than anything so at least you can join in if you want to. It actually has a piano solo in it as well.

**9**

Soul Survivor: Quite electro sounding but with a quicker bass line which picks up throughout the song. Early on there is also something which sounds like a church organ and even as though they're playing the song under water. There isn't actually any lyrics to this one but it is easily my favourite. Thanks to its mix match of different sounds which you wouldn't usually put together.

**10**

Horizontal: Very quick but the lyrics are very easy to pick up. It has an ongoing riff running through it and an eventual solo towards the end where it all goes a bit manic. With different guitar solos and drums being mixed together along with an ambulance siren at the end.

**11**

The Last Resort: This song starts off again with the sounds of faint sirens but has a lot more electro beats to it. There isn't much guitar playing and is concentrating more on the vocals. Ones which you can join into especially when the chorus kicks in. Although it's quite a mellow track there's something about it which makes you want it to last longer. Especially when you have the computer game noises.

**12**

You're Not The Law: Again using sirens which they seem to love. It's also very similar to Ghost Faced Killer in that it features the same hollow echoed noises although they do chant more than sing. Dare I say it, this is now my favourite off of the album, with its eerie noises in the background and ending on war sounds and fading of voices, there isn't a lot not to like.

Overall The Dead 60s are a band which I'd place into the indie/post punk category. They have a similar sound to The Clash, Zutons and the Madness. I'll admit that at first I though this effort was a bit middle of the road but it is a grower. On some occassions you can keep it on repeat for ages without tireing of it. Some of the songs are a bit similar but not so much that you can point them out.

You can get this for £4.78 from Amazon which is pretty good value for what you are getting. It's a shame that they did split up because I am certain that they could of released a lot of better stuff than their second album if they'd of kept with it.

If you like your indie music, with what seems like a lot of references to other well known guitar based bands then this is something for you. Whilst adding a nice assortment of sounds into the mix they've exchanged what could be a dull album into something a bit different.

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