Dexys Midnight Runners - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels (Re-Released Album Review)
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Written by Ali Shutler
It’s hard to believe that ‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels’ is over 30 years old. It sounds fresh and draws influences from an eclectic mix of genres that are still present in the charts to this day.
Opening ‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels' is one of the album's highlights 'Burn it Down'. This track starts with a radio being tuned, allowing for a quick burst of The Sex Pistols, The Specials and Deep Purple, before the cry of “For god’s sake, burn it down” kicks off the album with an punky yet soulful number, which was released before the album under the name 'Dance Stance', which acts as a pacemaker for the album.
Following ‘Burn it Down’ we have a double hit of up-tempo songs, ‘Tell Me When My Lights Go Green’ and ‘The Teams That Met In Caffs’ that, if they don’t have you dancing like nobody’s watching, will at the very least have you tapping your foot and nodding your head to the jazzy pop music that is the backbone to these two tracks.
‘I’m Just Looking’ is a slow, soulful track that highlights the emotional power of Kevin Rowland’s voice and allows you to catch your proverbial breath before the unmistakable opening bars of The Dexys Midnight Runners first number one ‘Geno’ a track that will have your arms up in the air as you sing along.
In homage to their Northern Soul roots, 'Seven Days Too Long’ is a cover of the Chuck Wood song of the same name. ‘I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried’ is the only ballad on the album, it’s delivered with the emotional prowess that would rival the most angst-ridden of singers today.
‘Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn’t Apply’ is a fun song that’s full of pace. It was apparently written at a time of positivity within the band, and that’s mirrored with how you’ll feel after listening. ‘Keep It Up’ still sounds like The Dexy Midnight Runners but it’s them trying something a little different and it works, it also gives the album a bit more depth.
‘Love Part 1’ is a spoken word poem that’s bitter, honest and the most powerful track on the album. ‘There There My Dear’ was written as an open letter to their contemporaries and is the closing track of ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ It’s The Dexy Midnight Runners at their best, an upbeat track, with an emotionally powerful kick.
The important thing about re-releases is that the fans are getting value for money, and the re-release of ‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels' definitely delivers that. 5 previously unreleased demos, 8 BBC radio sessions previously unavailable on CD as well as B-Sides and Non-album singles which triple the original running time.
The high standard established by the original album is carried over onto the bonus disc. The live versions breath new life into the original tracks, the demos give an insight into the could-have-been and the B-sides leave you asking why they were never included on the album. My personal favourite is their incredibly lively and energetic cover of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’.
In short, this rerelease is an amazing chance for another generation to discover The Dexys Midnight Runners as well as offering something new and fresh for the long time fans.
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Following ‘Burn it Down’ we have a double hit of up-tempo songs, ‘Tell Me When My Lights Go Green’ and ‘The Teams That Met In Caffs’ that, if they don’t have you dancing like nobody’s watching, will at the very least have you tapping your foot and nodding your head to the jazzy pop music that is the backbone to these two tracks.
