Two and a half years ago I reviewed, and promptly slaughtered, ‘In Vogue’ for, well, being ironic without really meaning it. A band, clearly aimed at the myspace generation, writing songs berating myspace. Somewhere in that 30-month period they’ve gone away and learned how to write good fucking songs. ‘The Hot N Heavy’ is in a totally different league to that last album. It’s heavy but very, very catchy – and while I often berate bands that get lazy and sing and scream their way through, when you do it well, you do it well. And DDG have done it very well this time round.
‘Two Birds, One Stone’ is a massive, massive song, and while the band, all too often, launch into sub-par Underoath b-sides, when they get it right they get it very right. ‘The Internet Killed The Video Star’ reminds me of very early From First To Last – infact DDG’s singer Danny Stillman reminds me a fair bit of Sonny Moore. ‘Fame’ is another good song. There are a few duffers here and I’d say trimming this album by three or four songs would have been for the best. But for someone so fed up with the genre to be impressed says it all – ‘The Hot N Heavy’ is one of the best records I’ve heard of it’s type in a while.