Los Angeles – From the moment he burst onto the alternative music scene, Cullen Omori has always been a musician indebted to the sounds and styles of the past. His band Smith Westerns carved out a niche in the crowded garage rock revival scene by infusing glam rock swagger into their sound. The Chicago, Illinois based band was short-lived, breaking up in 2014 after only three records released over a four year span. Despite the setback, lead singer Omori has continued on as a solo artist. His latest album has softened the hard rock edges of his former band and traded them in with a still-retro synth pop sound on New Misery, his Sub Pop debut.
It has to be a daunting task for a young musician like Cullen Omori to bounce back after the dissolution of a hugely successful buzz band like Smith Westerns. On one hand, the band broke up before they could languish in their sound, recording a few albums too many and becoming a self-parody everyone would want to forget. On the flip side, his band broke up before they could truly become an instantly recognizable name in indie rock. So while his previous band’s name undoubtedly helped him score a recording contract with super-indie label Sub Pop, essentially Cullen Omori is starting from scratch with the release of his debut solo album New Misery.
The good news for Cullen Omori is that this 11 song LP promises big things on the horizon. Omori’s solo work leans more heavily on the pop side of glam, and the album is a versatile and memorable debut for Omori. The second cut on New Misery, “Two Kinds,” is an early album highlight. Breezy acoustic guitars in the verse are guided by an undercurrent of subtle organ riffs. Then, the chorus breaks out into twinkling guitar arpeggios and the mantra-like refrain of “Two kinds love / Two kinds of being in love with you.” The next song, “Hey Girl,” mimics the song structure of an Oh, Inverted World-era Shins cut with the sing-song melodies and nasally delivery of Beulah.
While the highlights of New Misery are in its most blissfully pop-centric moments, when the album slows things down, its appeal is not lost. “Poison Dart,” “And Yet the World Still Turns,” and “Be A Man” give the record a sonic diversity, allowing the more upbeat numbers to stand out that much more. Yes, it is true that this album relies heavily on styles and sounds that were pioneered in the 80s and early 90s, and that can be a pitfall for a less experienced songwriter. However, Cullen Omori keeps things interesting, selecting passages from a diverse range of the era’s genres.
“Cinnamon” is one of the singles from New Misery, and it is the most fully-realized of the songs on the album. It features swirling, echoing post-punk guitar riffs and unrelenting vocal hooks that kick from the beginning, never relenting at all during the four minute track. While there are a few less memorable tracks on the album, it represents a solid first step forward for Omori in the wake of Smith Westerns’ break up.
Cullen Omori will be touring the United States and Canada throughout April, hitting most of the major cities throughout the North American continent. Find more info and tickets on the tour page of his Facebook.
Photo credit: Alexa Lopez
Matt Matasci
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