Yuck- Yuck

Promising debut from shoegaze/grunge revivalists

Cajun Dance Party was one of THOSE bands. You know the type. Every now and then music publications tell you which indie bands will dominate the next few years’ landscape. Like Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong (remember them?) from the same sort of time, CDP never quite built on the fuss and threw it away.

From their ashes rise Daniel Blomberg and Max Bloom. They're throwing more straight-forward shapes in new band Yuck- great name with a nice little line in fuzzy, scuzzy indie, with the noise-love of Sonic Youth crossed with the melodies of Mazzy Star, and other grunge also-rans from the 90s.

It’s hardly a new proposition, and it has already been done far better, frankly. However, there’s enough verve and a few pop hooks on show here to create an enjoyable, if forgettable, first album stab.

Underneath the layers of distortion lies some great guitar work. Bloom and Blomberg make the instruments squeal and squall on The Wall, and the subtle acoustic lines that support Shook Down (as well as the rather lovely vocals) wouldn’t sound out of place on this year’s hip indie film soundtrack. Rhythm support from bassist Mariko Doi and drummer Jonny Rogoff do the job further down in the mix, but they hardly stand out.

Quieter tracks like Suicide Policeman and Sunday are a nice distraction, showing range and a degree of songwriting nous (“I just want to let you know/I could be your suicide policeman” is like a big man hug). In other moments, tracks like Georgia and Stutter show off another early-90s love of Yuck’s: shoegaze. It’s nice but, once again, Yuck are a little late to the party and it just puts better examples like Girls in mind. Yuck really work when they bring the rock.

This is found in abundance on The Wall and Holing Out- wonderful and slightly complex grunge at its best. Top of the pile though has to be closing track Rubber. With distorted vocals and an element of melody lurking beneath a wall of noise, its seven minutes build and build to a cacophony of sound cascading to the song’s climax. It’s their most Sonic Youth moment and it really shines.

Yuck isn’t an album that’s going to change the world, and it’s a revival movement that has been explored many times before. Despite this, the London quartet’s debut is fun and perfectly serviceable. Just don’t go in expecting fireworks.

3/5

Best Tracks:
Rubber
The Wall
Suicide Policeman