the Reytons

Week 33: The Reytons- A Love Letter to a Broken Town…

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

The Reytons are brimming with confidence on “A Love Letter to a Broken Town…”. They haven’t changed their style since success; they have used it to give the fans what they want. The album is packed with catchy choruses, big riffs, and energy that will get the crowd going in any venue.

Of course, since they first broke through, they have been compared to fellow Yorkshire band Arctic Monkeys, especially when Jonny Yerrell sounds identical to a young Alex Turner, as I discovered from my previous review of the then-unsigned indie band. Unlike the Arctics though, they’re heavier and have a more powerful sound that sets them apart.

Let’s begin by looking at the opener ‘Jukebox’, which is full of nostalgia, working-class pride, and energy. ‘Busker’s Paradise’ tells a great story of a town fading away.

‘Hello, How Are You Today’ has strong energy, but is their most thought-provoking.

Those 3 tracks show the band’s progression, but they still stay true to themselves with their grit, humour, and honesty, which helped their popularity soar.

I loved the record’s consistency. It is hard to choose a favourite, but those 3 tracks I singled out are the best on there for me. However, every track brings value. Actually, I am going to add ‘Best Night of His Life’ because this is going to get the crowds going.

The energy seldom dips, so overall, it is an extremely pleasant listen from the outset. It underlines once more that guitar music is far from dead. The album has bite, heart, attitude, and a loud, guitar-driven edge. I can see it being nominated for the Mercury Prize next year.

Song recommendations: ‘Busker’s Paradise’, ‘Hello, How Are You Today’, ‘Best Night of His Life’

9/10

Week 4: the Reytons- What’s Rock n Roll?

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

I fucking think it is fucking brilliant what the band have achieved without any label behind them and how it has now changed the landscape of music. RAYE is also releasing her debut album, “21st Century Blues”, next week after leaving her label, which gave her nothing but grief, and releasing it independently after just over a decade of waiting. Funnily enough, the band’s motto is “No backing, no label, all Reytons”. Of course, off the back of the success of the record, through social media postings and gigging, they are now signed. 

I vaguely knew who the band from Yorkshire was before I found out they were heading for the top of the chart. I am switched on to Indie UK and Irish twitter. I have discovered artists/bands like Fontaines DC, the Lathums, the Great Leslie, Forgotten Door, Skylights, Citylightz, Rianne Downey, and the Reytons. I must confess that I had yet to listen to any of the band’s tracks before discovering their album on their YouTube account. What struck me almost immediately was how much frontman Jonny Yerrell sounds like a young Alex Turner. Their wall of sound reminded me of the Arctic Monkeys in their early days. A very raw and in-your-face sound. Nothing polished, clean or sounding like the last two records by the Arctics.

I remember watching a documentary asking, “is Guitar Music Dead?” featuring Noel Gallagher, among others. Noel said it was, as well as Paul Weller, but Jehnny Beth from the Savages strongly disagreed. The music that has hit the top of the album chart since 2020 proves that guitar music is still alive. When you think about it, many genres use the guitar in their production, so it will never fade out, far less die. 

The Reytons are proving again with their second album and bringing back the type of indie which made you jump around and belt out songs like a soul possessed. I found out, upon research, that their name is the Yorkshire dialect for “right ones”. As I mentioned earlier, Jonny sounds like a young Alex Turner and even had the sarcasm to boot. The rest of the band played at 100 miles an hour, which, apart from the Arctics, could be compared to the Libertines in their prime. You will certainly enjoy yourself at their gigs, which will be explosive and over before you get a chance to catch your breath. The choruses are from another world, too. Catchy and full of energy, which will see a crowd surge towards the front barrier.

I can honestly say I fucking loved this album. The energy, the swagger, the conscious lyrics, the grandiose choruses, and just like their gigs, it is an explosive record that is over before you have realised. A fucking superb record. Truly outstanding.

Song recommendations: ‘Avalanche’, ‘Little Bastards’, ‘Cash in Hand & Fake IDs’

8/10