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Yuck – Yuck (Review)

April 16th, 2011 No comments

Yuck – Yuck (2.5 Stars out of 5)

Yuck is the latest of the fuzzy buzzy bands entering the atmosphere. They seem to have the perfect formula of the lo-fi fuzz but as is often the case with debut bands like Yuck is that they sound too perfect, too formulaic. In fact for much of the album it’s become very forgettable. One has to begin to question this boring “Alt-Radio Station” songs like ‘Shook Down’ that sound like they belong at Lollapalooza rather than Pitchfork.

{The comment above was a bit of a dig at Pitchfork since they will be performing at this years festival. I would imagine I will be checking out the competing act during this time}

‘Shook Down’ feels like a tired Wilco cover band that does a spendid job of opening for a true headliner by making sure that they don’t outperform said band. The fact that I spent money to see them at Lincoln Hall opening for Tame Impala says more about the psychaedelic Aussies than it does about Yuck.

This band reminds me slightly of ‘Real Estate’ another band that got a lot of accolades by the critics but who I felt that was a borefest live. At the same time, Real Estate offered more character on their release than what is being provided here.

However, the bands more inspired efforts remind me of bands that never got the credit they deserved. ‘Suicide Policeman’ plays off perfectly as a Beulah cover. And the first moment of true genius was the Yo La Tengo-infused ‘Georgia’ which if it is not written for Georgia Hubley of Yo La Tengo should officially get that nod.

‘Sunday’ for example, sounds like any generic alt-rock opening act that suburban dads play to seem cool. {I was planning on putting a Mumford and Sons joke here but I thought better of it and blame this for the amount of Facebook friends who seem to be talking about them as of late.}

The best thing that Yuck would have going for them is that they are trying to reproduce Yo La Tengo for the masses, but Yo La Tengo always felt much more intimate and created an atmosphere, whereas Yuck is about imitating a sound and not much else.

I probably should not be so difficult on Yuck. I think that as a first album, they are obviously very competent musicians with satisfactory ability to use their instruments. If they are able to build on this album and create stellar music in the future, this installment will be their “Pablo Honey”.

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