Yuck released their debut self-titled EP, which earned them quite a bit of praise and attention, earlier this year via Fat Possum Records. Consisting of former members of the London-based pop band Cajun Dance Party--Daniel Blumberg and Max Bloom, as well as some new additions--the new lineup bears some similarity to Cajun Dance Party, but regardless of their media attention, Yuck seems to be more boring than its earlier incarnation.

The album opens with “Get Away”. A catchy guitar progression builds into feedback followed by an even catchier lead riff. Tastefully distorted vocals follow soon thereafter, leading into a pre-chorus where Blumberg repeats “I can’t get away/ No I cant get away”. The song also features a sparse guitar solo and a cool drum/bass breakdown. There is a youthful energy here that has listeners looking forward to the rest of the album.

“The Wall” is a bit less inventive, the lyrics a bit cheesier: “I know that I’m in space/ I know that it’s not real/ It’s just the way that I feel”, but this song also features a great pop guitar solo and some energetic yelling that keeps listeners’ hopes up. Unfortunately, “Shook Down” dashes them almost entirely: an acoustic guitar progression over a pretty standard 4/4 drum beat back up vocals that would be boring if they weren’t so damn annoying. Towards the end of the song, the guitar picks up a little distortion as Blumberg repeats: “You could be my destiny/ You could mean that much to me”, prompting listeners to reflect on whether or not that would be as positive a fate as Blumberg tries to make it sound.

The rest of the album is not much different from “Shook Down”. Some songs have a bit more distortion than others, though they are for the most part equally lackadaisical. If listeners have managed to stay awake through the bulk of the mediocrity, however, they will be in for a pleasant surprise. “Operation”, according to a recent interview, was the band’s first song, providing inspiration for all of the others, which is easy to believe. Expertly handled guitar feedback flows over another catchy progression to mingle with distorted vocals that start soft but pick up in a great way, leading to a chorus that has that same youthful energy we heard on “Get Away”, as opposed to the contrived pop sound pervading the majority of the album. The next track, unfortunately, sounds almost exactly like “Shook Down”, and features the equally bad lyrics “Someday you’re gonna take me back/ Someday you’re gonna take me back/ Today I had a heart attack/ Someday you’re gonna take me back... I’ve got a choice now/ I’ve got a voice now...” etc.

Aside from a few choice tracks, Yuck’s self-titled LP is, for the most part, boring and unenthusiastic. They have proven, however, based on past projects as well as songs like “Get Away”, “Operation”, and “Rubber”, that they do have the energy, creativity, and capability to write great pop songs. Hopefully they can get their act together and do just that, rather than fall into the endless and ever growing dark pit of indie-pop mediocrity.

Track List:

1. Get Away
2. The Wall
3. Shook Down
4. Holing Out
5. Suicide Policeman
6. Georgia
7. Suck
8. Stutter
9. Operation
10. Sunday
11. Rose Gives a Lilly
12. Rubber