ALBUM REVIEW: Skinny Knowledge – Don’t Turn Out The Lights

The debut album Don’t Turn Out The Lights by the Bournemouth based alt rock group SKINNY KNOWLEDGE is an album that smacks 2020 right between the eyes. If being in lockdown helps create something like this then maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all.

We have all had to deal with our own individual problems through this pandemic both physically and mentally, a place of occasional darkness for us all I am sure, but sometimes you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good.

To just listen to this album is fine, it has good musicality (and you will find yourself singing along by the second listen), but to not actually take on board where it came from and the effort put in during such difficult times, you would be selling yourself, and the artists, a little short. In the same way as scoffing down your favourite food instead of savouring each mouthful, you may still enjoy it, but you could get so much more from it.

These guys dug deep, and from somewhere inside themselves, they produced an album of great quality. It’s hard to believe it’s their first.

Having not heard of SKINNY KNOWLEDGE before, (which I’m sure is the case for a lot of us outside of their family and friends), I was totally in the dark as to what to expect.

From the opening distorted guitar riff on the first track, I knew there was every chance it was going to be good…well my kind of good anyway. As I worked my way through the playlist it gripped me with some upbeat, fast tracks, along with the occasional, slower, power ballad thrown in; the most notable being Wheels of Love, which has some decent piano playing before the band comes in. This highlights further how multi-talented these guys are.

By my second listen, my personal favourites started to rise to the surface.

The title track, which also happens to be the first, is one of the strongest and at this moment top of my “fav” list, however, that may change over time. Others that I really like are the up tempo Alive and the quickest of them all, Take The Blame. The latter sending out a life message we could all do with giving some credence to.

This is certainly a strong starting place for this band. They have set the bar high. Can they push on from here? I don’t doubt it for a minute. I look forward to seeing them thrive.

I also can’t wait for when we are allowed to start attending gigs again. SKINNY KNOWLEDGE have definitely worked themselves on to my list of ‘must see’ bands for when this whole thing is over. If you like your alt rock, you could do a lot worse than put them on yours too. In the meantime, order your copy of Don’t Turn Out The Light, you won’t be disappointed. With the indefinite continuation of this latest lockdown, Skinny Knowledge might just be the therapy you need to see you through.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Dave Jones