Album Review: Cheerbleederz - "Even In Jest"

 

We first encoutered the Cheerbleederz via their Cute As Hell single on Alcopop records a couple of months back with its fuzzed-up indie punk stalkerisms being an intriguing prospect. Suffice to say that their debut album is equally enjoyably all over the place.

I always remember reading a quote from , I think, Andy Partridge from XTC where he said that sometimes the most interesting music comes from bands where it feels like their music is a pool ball ricocheting around the table which doesn't quite go in one of the holes and Cheerbleederz are definitely a case in point. The fierce feminism on show here is reminiscent of groups like the Linda Lindas and Berries but there's a weird kind of slacker vibe to it which recalls the Pixies at their most schizophrenic. Songs like Break Ur Arm, Nail Biters and Out Of Body have those sort of meandering Debaser style guitars to them with the vocals veering from Bjork style quirkiness to full on screeching.

They're not just a one trick pony though - the gentle bass heavy groove of Love/Hurt shows off another side to their repertoire as does the almost Lush style guitar and vocal harmonies on Lazy Bones (think something like Tralala off the Lovelife album) while Carbon Copy has a Belly style cut and thrust dynamic to it.

Cheerbleederz give the impression of being a band who are still kind of finding their feet a bit here - there's plenty of inventiveness and variety on this album and the only place it really falls down is the lack of a genuine top drawer killer tune to really plant their flag in this patch. But with the energy and smartness on show here, you suspect it's a case of when rather than if that happens. Definitely keep an eye on this lot, they very much bear the mark of a band well on their way to something good.

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NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)