You Am I - Dilettantes

Fri 26th Sep, 2008 in Music Reviews

Returning with long-time producer Greg Wales, this is record number eight for Sydney-Melbourne rock quartet You Am I. Their first since the beautifully grubby rock romp of 2006’s Convicts, this album isn’t really about hooks, or traditional pop/rock song structure. It’s a subtler creature, requiring a few listens before you really tap into the pulse of each number.

The title track begins with a poignant acoustic folk melody. Dilletantes is a ballad full of layers – swelling at points with cymbals, strings and handclaps. Though it’s a delicate opener, it has the kind of understated power that travels through the entire album. For those not in the know, lead singer/guitarist Tim Rogers defines a dilettante as someone “who dabble[s] in appreciation of arts or culture” and has “a deep love for works, or performers.” Givin’ Up and Gettin’ Fat is a criticism of the superficialities of the music sphere that often obscure that “deep love”. It’s a self-deprecating second-guessing of the glamour behind playing the rock star – “Who died and made me king of all the sea / who pissed off and made this princess out of me/ Should give up, get fat, forget the fucking romance.”

It’s nice to hear that Rogers isn’t all ego. Still, you can’t help but feel a little disappointed that the lyrics suggest he’s running out of steam after playing with the group since 1989. Fortunately the tune itself is a fairly solid antithesis, with its steady bassline thuds and overdriven guitar melodies. Rogers’ strangely youthful voice strains as he reaches for the high notes. While that might seem a bad thing, it’s actually one of the reasons the album works so well.

You Am I have always been more concerned with song writing than overly-technical exhibitionism. The songs have been constructed very carefully but they’re also playful and a little ragged around the edges. While Erasmus probably stands out as a commercial single, it isn’t the highlight of the album. This record is best seen in its entirety as a laidback piece of swaggering pop-rock.

Sometimes when bands have been around for a long time it feels like they’re tapping the bottom of a sauce bottle that just doesn’t have a drop left. Well, You Am I still has the goods. If the tune Frightfully Moderne is anything to go by, the group are pretty bloody aware of it – “You ain’t seen the best of us”. While hardcore fans might have expected something a bit grittier from their latest effort, Dilettantes won’t leave them heartbroken. The album is a cruisey addition to You Am I’s pretty impressive musical CV. If you don’t like it, you’ll probably love it.

Dilletantes is out now through EMI.