Pretty Vicious release one of the most exciting debut records of 2019.
Beauty Of Youth marks Welsh rockers Pretty Vicious debut full-length. Soaked in riffy anthems, the twelve track record is a gem of its time and proof that British rock music is alive and bloody well. Beauty Of Youth rips a sound through your ears like no other band has for the last decade, and it will easily propel them into super stardom (if not, something is seriously wrong with this world).
After three years of record company disputes, infighting and ultimately the kind of deep seated bonds that can only be forged in sweat soaked venues up and down the length of the country Beauty of Youth arrives in a typically turbulent period for the Welsh four piece which has seen frontman Brad Griffiths step back from the limelight to deal with ongoing personal issues.
Speaking of Beauty Of Youth, Pretty Vicious say: “It’s been a long road to this point and we’re chuffed to bits that after all we’ve been through as a band of brothers we get to share this record with our loyal fans. There have been some major lows, but they’re far outweighed by the many highs and wild adventures that have gone into brewing up this album. We couldn’t be prouder of it, and of what our band has grown to mean to so many people. We’ll see you all again, don’t know where, don’t know when, but wherever it is we promise it’s going to be sweaty, debauched and very, very loud. Forza Pretty Vicious x’
Plucked from their small town Welsh roots three years ago, the teenage school friends were only four gigs into their existence when they were swept along by an industry whirlwind they were barely equipped to survive.
Teaming up with Dan Austin ( (You Me At Six, Twin Atlantic, Pulled Apart By Horses), they found the perfect man to harness the energy and attitude that caused the London A&R scene to go all in on an unruly last gang in town. Released on Big Machine/John Varvatos Records, Beauty Of Youth, is an energy-packed punk record that reminds of punk’s beginnings in the UK, fueled by views of a young band in teh new millennium.
The grungy guitar riffs that open These Four Walls, and subsequently the entire record, paint a picture of what’s to come. These Four Walls exudes rock’n’roll at its finest. Across the record the band play with influences of Britain’s greatest such as Sex Pistols, Stereophonics, Arctic Monkeys, Buzzcocks and more.
The theme of the record is in its title – the magic, excitement and confusion of being young. Those feelings are represented in the huge sounding anthems that demand for the world to hear them. Wether it’s the infectious Move, or the Brit-Rock infused Something Worthwhile.
On Beauty Of Youth, the band hold nothing back. They experiment with sounds, but still manage to create a signature sound for themselves throughout. The anthemic No One Understands is less grungy but more heavy in lyrics, talking about growing up and feeling misunderstood.
There’s also a few moments on the record where the band take a step back from the heavy riffs, and deliver their version of a ballad. The up-beat Kids With Guns sees the band truly open up about personal struggles. “This ain’t part of the show / This ain’t no encore / These evil times and shattered lives / Of loved ones back home / Sometimes I miss when we were kids.” Brad Griffiths sings with despair in his voice.
The album closes with furocious lead single Are You Entertained which once again captures the extraordinary sound Pretty Vicious have created for themselves, before passing the torch over to Little Molly to bring it all home with a sombre ballad about poisonous relationships. The slow eerie send-off seems like the perfect come-down from the frenzied trip that is Beauty Of Youth. But don’t worry, you won’t be trailing off into sleep, there’s some angry riffs waiting for you at the end.
Beauty Of Youth are twelve tracks about youth, relationships and growing up in a world that isn’t always kind. Pretty Vicious are certainly ones to look out for as these songs belong in arenas and stadiums. So for all the bad luck these lads have had in the industry, they deserve every bit of good luck coming their way with this stunning release.
High Fives & Stage Dives 