Yuck - Yuck (Well not entirely)

Yuck's self-titled debut constitutes an artistically divided yet genuinely exciting whole...just try to forget the video.

I can only imagine, that in the days before music videos, a band's image was mainly dependent on the music they played. To be sure, mass-marketing, and the fabrication of a 'look', have always been key components of the music industry, but in order to form a specific opinions on a group's songs, music fans were once required to actually listen to the music. In the age of YouTube however, the most unlikely and unassuming of musicians are able to permanently colour our first impressions of their work, and assert themselves as risky or confrontational, in a manner which is often entirely disconnected from the music they play.

Such is the case with Yuck. Go on line and see what you think about the video for 'Holing Out'.

Right now, however, I wish to avoid a discussion about desensitization and the depiction of sexual violence in popular culture. To be sure, these are topics of the utmost importance, but this is a music review, and, excluding this brief disclaimer, I will attempt to treat it as such .

So,

The debut album from this London based quartet separates, more or less, into two musical categories: loud, distorted bursts of alt-rock, and gentle, soft-rock ballads. Of these two categories, it is the first that is by far the most successful.

Perhaps the most exciting element of Yuck's work is the musical telepathy evident in the interplay between their two guitarists. Lead guitarist, Max Bloom, and singer/guitarist, Daniel Blumberg have known each other since they were six years old, and, as pair, have been involved in a string of musical ventures. The fruits of this long-standing relationship can be seen in a taught and innovative dialogue of clean hooks and distortion saturated chords, evocative of bands such as Dinasour Jr, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.

The crisp yet static chords of 'Holing Out' are perfectly accompanied by Blumberg's catchy, distorted vocals. Similarly, album opener, 'Get away', sees a clean, melodic riff navigating a wash of guitar effects and Blumberg's drowned-out insistence that he, 'can't get away'. Almost as impressive, is the up-beat, hell-raising, Sonic Youth homage, 'Operation'.

Given the strength of Yuck's more aggressive tracks then, it is disappointing that more than half their debut album is dedicated to a series of un-original, light-rock ballads.  Not only do songs such as 'Shook Down' and 'Stutter' fail to live up to the musical sophistication of Yuck's louder offerings, they also leave Blumberg's lyrical contributions naked, exposed and, it must be said, shivering. Neither the melody, nor the instrumentation of  'Shook Down' is of a high enough quality to carry the limp vocal crescendo of, 'You could mean that much to me/you could be my destiny'. Similarly, the tentative offerings of 'Suck' are unable to redeem Blumberg's forced and repetitive rhymes: 'Benediction...affliction...addiction'.etc.

However, to say that Yuck entirely fail in their more emotive moments would be unfair. The penultimate, instrumental track, 'Rose Gives a Lilly', is a truly beautiful and arresting piece of music, that employs the use of delay-pedals in a manner reminiscent of Interpol at their early best. Additionally, album closer, 'Rubber', proves that when Yuck successfully combine instrumental wizardry with high-emotion, the result is really quite wonderful. Over seven minutes, 'Rubber' slowly collapses into glorious, noisy mayhem, tethered admirably by Blumburg's forceful, sincere vocals: 'should I give in?' the singer repeatedly asks. Personally, I would implore him not too.

Yuck may not have completely balanced their technical ability and their emotional sensibilities quite yet, but it seems that when they do, we will  be privilege to yet more impressive work. For now, Yuck's first album provides us with an intermittently stunning example of a young band finding their way and marking their out their artistic territory. Just please, forget about THAT video.

Paul Burch