Los Angeles – In 2013, London based rock band Yuck lost their lead vocalist and guitar player, Daniel Blumberg. Instead of letting this setback derail their future as a band, the remaining three members trudged on. Max Bloom (guitar), Mariko Doi (bass), and Jonny Rogoff (drums) added guitarist Ed Hayes to the lineup. They released their sophomore album Glow & Behold in 2013, which received mixed reviews and saw the band adjusting to life without their former frontman. The sound was very slick and even a bit radio friendly; a strange thing to say about a band whose biggest influences include My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr. With three years to get used to the new lineup, Yuck have released their third LP, Stranger Things.
The record is a step forward from its predecessor. Glow & Behold was criticized for lacking the reckless spirit, noisy fun and unrelenting passion of the 2011 self-titled debut. Instead of trying to replicate their debut, Yuck continue down the path of high studio fidelity. However, this well polished piece of musicianship sees the band improving their hook writing, making Stranger Things a more listenable and interesting album than Glow & Behold was. While the shoegaze influences are still strong on songs like “Swirling” and “Yr Face,” for the most part the band has shifted their biggest influences in the direction of C-86 style indie pop, early Weezer and even contemporary bands like Wavves.
It takes no longer than the opening track to experience that sonic shift. “Hold Me Closer” is a driving pop-rock song that sticks to a middle tempo and never gets overly emotional, with Bloom’s vocals taking on a detached quality. The next song, “Cannonball,” is the fastest, catchiest, and most instantly grabbing of all the songs on Stranger Things. The title track speaks to those previously mentioned C-86 influences. It begins with a gently raked, descending guitar riff that is paired with a simple vocal melody and easygoing tempos. But compared to the slowest songs like the Mariko Doi sung “As I Walk Away,” “Like A Moth,” or “Down,” it is a downright speedy number. “Hearts In Motion” is the second single from Stranger Things and has the right bouncing rhythm in the verse that would make it a good fit on mainstream rock radio.
Yuck may never be able to achieve the cathartic energy that was demonstrated on the band’s debut. However, despite losing the most crucial of band members, Yuck has demonstrated an ability to move forward. Such a drastic change takes some time to recover from, and three years later it seems that Yuck has improved but has still not been able to regain the promise shown on Yuck. That being said, Stranger Things is a strong step in the right direction, and it may only be a matter of time before the band is able to once again match the magic of Yuck.
Yuck is currently on tour in the United States until mid-April. The band will playing the Savannah Stopover, as well as making an appearance at SXSW in Austin, Texas later this month. Check out the Yuck Facebook page for a list of tour dates.
Matt Matasci
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