Yuck - Yuck Album Review

Cute name, isn't it? Well be prepared to feel the opposite of its sentiment. Born out of the ashes of Cajun Dance Party, and looking like they possess the physical prowess of a puppy you just kicked, they are hard to dismiss at first glance. For the people who are old enough to remember the 1990s Yuck's eponymous debut will serve as a nostalgic hour spent reminiscing. For someone who happens across this for the first time it will probably be nothing short of a revelation. I make this distinction here because this will probably be the deciding factor in whether you think it's simply a good album, or a great one.

Having said that, Yuck do alt-pop as well as anyone and 'Yuck' is a fine example of its genre. As we know in these post-post-modern times, rarely is anything completely original. They may be unapologetic in displaying their love for Pavement or the Pixies but there's no daylight robbery. Like last year's debut from Surfer Blood, Yuck have managed to capture the spirit of 90s guitar pop without completely pillaging it.
So what transpires is an album of sweet guitar music, filled with both sunshine and heart ache. With hum-a-long riffs and harmonies, highlights include the joyous 'Operation' or the beautiful 'Georgia' where the male/female vocals explode together like fireworks.

Unsurprisingly, they are just as beguiling in their more reflective moments 'Rose gives a Lilly' and 'Suck' are perfect soundtrack to being the last one left at the disco. Suck is charming in its easy dismissal of youth and hedonism, in that way that only the young can afford. Thankfully, some apparent British pop sensibilities, Yuck possess that rare gift of being able to express a wounded vulnerability without inducing any nausea.

Earnest and lovely but zinging with adolescent frictions; Yuck is an exhilarating and breathless ride.

Natalie Kaye