Review Summary: A good life after death begins with Cherubs
Time flies, man. It’s almost impossible to imagine that the
Cherubs last album,
Heroin Man, was released over twenty years ago.
Heroin Man was definitely the band’s greatest achievement, which made it all the more disappointing for listeners to find out that they were already gone by the point of its release. It makes you wonder how the band would’ve been like had they recorded another album. What direction would they take, how would the songwriting change, and so on. The trio’s new album,
2 YNFYNYTY, answers those questions.
2 YNFYNYTY is a surprising album in the fact that it shows how well the band has aged since their break up. The production is top-notch, but it still maintains the bands signature odd ball sloppiness that made their older records fun to listen to. Kevin Whitley’s vocals have greatly improved, as they don’t sound anywhere near as stressed or strained on previous releases. The instrumentation has a unique quality to it, for it combines elements of poppy alternative with grating noise rock, ultimately creating a great batch of tracks.
“Cumulo Nimbus” is a real highlight, a somewhat psychedelic track that echoes and drags that can only be summed up with one word: trippy. The way Whitley’s voice soars on top of the reverb-soaked guitar brings a real sense of euphoria to the listener, and it’s definitely the most laid back track on the album. Songs like “So Jellified” and “Sandy on the Beach” include obnoxiously gigantic riffs that are similar in tone to the bands primal and beastly debut
Icing, which is a real treat for any long-time fans of the band. “Evil May Acre” is one of the catchiest tracks here, and it has, instrumentally speaking, the sleaziest verse in the bands history. The track would not be out of place if it were to be played at a crusty, late-night dance club. The drums have an inane, dance-influenced style to them, the bass bounces in a hypnotic way, and the guitar frosts the track with a ring.
2 YNFYNYTY is an excellent album in the fact that it does its job: proving that the Cherubs are still capable of making great music. While mediocre and forgettable tracks, like “We Buy Gold”, can be found in the record, it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s an incredibly fun listen. The production is very well done, giving the tracks a crisp and clean quality without removing any of the charming sloppiness that the band is known for. It’s a reunion album done right, for it makes you question whether or not the band really did break up in the first place.
