“Promise In Youth” – Driving By Night

4 stars (out of 5)

0

drivingbynightIt would be easy to listen to the influences on display here  (and there are many, from  early U2 to current Snow Patrol and American blue-collar rock such as Springsteen and The Hold Steady) and dismiss Driving By Night as the sum of these influences but it’s not that easy.  The band’s recorded sound has a cinematic, wide-screen feel that you would expect from a band that have been around a lot longer than these guys and ticks all the right boxes for emotive, angsty indie music.

“Promise In Youth” opens with a slow keyboard fade-in which is just beginning to sound over-long when the laser-bright, razor-sharp guitar motif cuts in creating the framework the song is built on.  The structure of the song (a gradual build-up to a breakdown about two thirds in then a build-up again to the climax of the song)  is very radio-friendly but also marks it out as a live anthem for the future.

This is only Driving By Night’s  third single but they have the assurance of a band that have been around forever.  Towards the end of the song, there’s an awful lot going on but the production is so clean that it every addition increases the power rather than adding clutter to the song. 

Definitely one to hear live and I’m really interested in hearing the album now. Check out their MySpace.

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!