The Little Million - You And Me Against The Universe (Fabtone)
Rebecca Ryder | Thursday, 04 March 2010
However, debut single 'You And Me Against The Universe' is a little too bland to really make anyone sit up and listen, let alone hurl themselves into a moshpit. Punk performers aren't usually blessed with the most harmonious of vocals, and that is how they like it, but there still has to be something distinctive and likeable about any singer's voice to make them memorable. Not so the case here.
The vocals are just a bit painfully drab, in a way that makes you think Jim Pinder must have been so determined to front a band that he was always going to do it, whether he was any good at it or not. Which is kind of admirable in a way; the main ethos with punk is generally to have a laugh and not give too much of a damn about the musicianship. That doesn't automatically sell records though.
The song isn't completely awful, just typical of your present-day-early-twenties-angst-rock-pop that is so uniquitous these days. 'You And Me Against The Universe' sounds distinctly like something you think you've heard before, and that is because not much is done to update the cheesy mainstream punk-pop formula.
Nevertheless, it certainly has the gusto and attitude to be convincing. Though the boyfriend/girlfriend lyrics are quite sweet really, this fits with the band's young-and-not-quite-as-bold-as-they-think sound. Though the chorus is a little wordy it could definitely stick around in one's head for a short time. That is until something better arrives; you probably wouldn't be waiting long.
Rating: 2/5