Stepping unassumingly onto the stage wearing checked shirts and sporting the odd vagabond beard, Young Rebel Set are a long way off the rowdy demeanour that their name suggests. By the time acoustic guitars are hooked over shoulders and The Fly spots a harmonica, there is a flicker of doubt as to whether we're actually in the right venue. But sure enough, lead singer Matty Chipchase introduces the seven guys on stage as the band we were expecting and they launch straight into their self-described 'gritty urban folk'.
Young Rebel Set name The Pogues and Springsteen as two of their main influences, and traces of both these artists are incredibly evident in every aspect of their sound. Piano solos and guitar harmonies build into hearty choruses facilitating The Boss' renowned Heartland Rock style, and Chipchase's voice has a touch of the gravely, world-weariness about it that idol Shane MacGowan exhibits so exquisitely. Their songs live are faster than in recordings, and this creates a more jovial feel compared to the more melancholy tone set prior to seeing them on stage. Fast-paced folk tracks such as 'Down The Line' make feet twitch - we’re longing to burst into barn dance around some haystacks to this - and the thoroughly unpretentious nature of their stage presence creates the impression that they could really be playing for you in such a humble setting.
Talk of idealistic romances dominate, particularly in 'If I Was', but this is a refreshing change from woe-addled tales of love and misery that seem to be provided in abundance by many other bands these days. Their larger-than-average size (there’s seven of them!) means that there are more individual sounds to be woven in amongst each other and if you listen carefully you can hear how layers have been intricately slotted together. Positives aside, there are occasions whereby their influences seem to be on the verge of overwhelming their own sound, and this is something Young Rebel Set need to be wary of. That said, they always say it's the quieter ones you should look out for, and it's going to be these discerning young Yorkshire-men that live up to their name when you least expect it.
This review was originally posted on www.the-fly.co.uk
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