More Interviews...
Features...
Reviews...

When this album was released, email inboxes all over the country received an interesting read, the author of which, was Kids In Glass Houses' frontman Aled Phillips. While, yes, maybe it was a bit of a corny gesture on behalf of their record label, this 'personal message from Aled' allowed fans to realise that this second release from the band was a little more stressful than it might've seemed. “The last year has been filled with uncertainty and as much doom and cursing as it has fun and optimism,” he wrote, “I had no idea if we were still relevant, if people remembered us or, even more importantly, still cared.”

Thinking about it, Kids In Glass Houses played a dangerous game with 'Dirt'; after releasing their debut 'Smart Casual' back in 2008, the band spent a large chunk of 2009 out of the limelight. Nowadays, there's a huge risk factor in simply taking your time, and that's constantly reflected in the amount of bands who choose to stay on the road, writing and recording, turning out albums with just a year wait between them. It's a scary consequence of the ethic of supply and demand, yet, Kids In Glass Houses saw fit to do things their own way.

And if this album is anything to go by, they made the right choice. Picking up right where they left off, the band sound louder and brighter than ever. 'Artbreaker I' provides the album with a real kickstart, and manages to remind us just how potent this band really can be. Tracks 'Sunshine' and 'Youngblood (Let It Out)' resound of summer, and are perfectly produced pop anthems. And I will dare you to walk away from this record without the chorus of 'Matters At All' embedded in your head.

Whilst some of the tracks feel very 'Pop Punk 101' - complete with the right number of 'woah's and 'ohh's - it tends to make the songs catchier, rather than have a negative effect. After all, everyone loves a good sing-along and this album is tailor-made for that purpose. Yet, where this band used to shine, with some of the most cleverly constructed lyrics in UK pop-punk, they somewhat fall down this time around: in all honesty, some lyrics feel a little old already. There are even the odd moments when it all seems a tad too repetitive.

Despite this however, 'For Better Or Hearse', bursts into life as one of the stand out tracks, and its blend of pop-rock meets brass makes for a fresh and funky piece in the second half. Even the surprise vocal appearance of Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays makes 'Undercover Lover' an unexpectedly sassy number. 'Hunt The Haunted' is also fantastic, with a reprise of 'Artbreaker' bringing the record to a more ferocious ending.

This is an album that feels jam packed with hits, allowing the band to easily managed to solidify themselves as leaders in the current generation of pop punk. And while some songs might follow a little more of a pattern than we're used to, it all makes for a classic pop-rock offering that's full of potential to springboard them to the masses.

Released 29th March 2010 on Roadrunner Records.