Hello world. Cute Is What We Aim For – Rotation [Review]
Hey there!
So, first blog, and I’m still unsure with how to get the blog ball rolling here, but I’ve decided to give it a bash!
This week, coming at you like a badger on speed, is not only a review, but my thoughts; rantings too….and that rhymed.
Cute Is What We Aim For – Rotation 6.5/10
Let’s not lie to ourselves, this was a highly anticipated album, not only due to the success of ‘Same Old Blood Rush…’, but also due to legendary producer; a surefire king of pop punk himself, John Fieldman lending his magic touch to it.
The album opens with first single ‘Practice Makes Perfect’, which builds serene guitar picking to the familiarity of Shaant’s vocals, which not only have a pace that grab you, but a melody which you can sing along to with ease. Before the minute mark is up, the chorus kicks in and you feel yourself being reeled in by yet another one of Shaant’s skilled hooks, but yet still teasing you with partial chorus. The song, deceptively clever as it sounds on first listen, is really quite clever with how it builds up throughout the track, and I’m sure this will be a chorus sung by many this summer.
And so onwards! Track 2, ‘Doctor’, was the first song to be released online by the band on their MySpace, and it has to be one of my personal favourites on the album. The tune has drums that really stand out in the verses, clever guitar work, great dynamics, catchy chorus, and an awesome Outro.
‘Navigate Me’ starts off with a strange effect which I dislike, and the verse really does very little for me also, that said, before I write this song off completely, the chorus is pleasant enough, and although quite repetitive, it remains enjoyable. I’m sitting here trying to pick out something I enjoy about this song apart from the chorus, and I really can’t. Luckily for me, it’s used a fair few times in the song, but a chorus does not make an anthem!
‘Loser’ and ‘Do What You Do’ are tracks I really wanted to review for you, but were so devoid of the energy I have come to expect from Cute Is What We Aim For, I found myself reaching to the skip button with every desperate attempt.
‘Hollywood’, is marginally better than the previous two songs, but even its Latino vibe doesn’t stop it from being another quite substandard track, purely due to its lack of hooks.
By now, you may be starting to lose faith in this album, but hold on!
‘Safe Ride’ comes along just in time to save the album from those of you whom may be tempted to just put on a different CD altogether, thinking that Cute It What We Aim For are just a one album wonder.
It begins in a similar fashion to the opening track, but when the verse begins, it is immediately evident the song is going to be far more meaningful, with far more power and drive. The chords underneath the vocal melody in the chorus are just brilliant, and really help add emotion to a chorus which already pulls at the heart strings. Chasing after chorus 2 comes a short yet sweet guitar solo, followed by a middle eight that pours out honesty in the lyrics, making us feel as if some real empathy, or even personal experience went into this song. This song really is textbook pop rock, and with a quiet chorus after the middle eight, the chorus comes in with more intensity than ever and keeps building ’til the end of the track.
‘The Lock Down Denial’ starts with someone who sounds as if they could be Patrick Stump talking in the background (forgive me for my immediate excitement!), then a riff rolls up which sounds like it was plucked straight from the Kids In Glass Houses/LostProphets joint rehearsal room! The riff is followed by a verse which carries you unwittingly right into a god-awful pre chorus, disjointed and unmelodious, it’s almost enough to have me reaching for the stop button. It’s OK though, as the chorus redeems the song, with a simple catchy melody, but this time it progresses into what I guess is a post chorus that is just a bit of shouting. Pre-Chorus number two just sounds just like a track from the latest Sugarcult CD. Basically this song makes me think of multiple bands, as the breakdown sounds just like their label-mates Panic At The Disco.
‘Marriage To Millions’ sounds like a step back to the ‘Same Old Blood Rush…’ days, and this is by no means a bad thing! Another personal favouite of mine on the cd, just a simple poppy summer song which would make a great soundtrack to a party with all you mates.
Track 10 gives us, ‘Miss Sobriety’, and dispite the off putting intro, I really like this song. It really follows a trend which is dominant throughout this cd, simple yet effective, building as the song progresses. This is another song which I love the outro of.
The final song of the cd , ‘Time’, seems just like one of those songs that bands put on the end of cd. You know the type that are quiet, normally boring, dull and probably written at the last minuete. The only enjoyable part in near the end , where the song builds into what could be potentially a great rock ballad, but before we’re treated to such things, the song ends, as does the cd.
I guess i was expecting more from this album, especially as i was egarly awaiting its release for a good 3 months, but it just isn’t that great! Sure there are some real stand out tracks on it, but they seem to contrast some tracks which really are far from greatness.
Here’s to hoping they can pull off these new tracks better live than they did the older ones!
And the rest…
So it’s midday and I’m not sure what to write about.
I have had both ‘Cartel’; ‘Chroma’ by Cartel on constant repeat on my ipod the past week, along with ‘Define The Great Line’ from Underoath, plus tunes from 30 Seconds To Mars, Sugarcult, Anberlin; Forever The Sickest Kids. So if you don’t have any tunes by those awesome bands, go resolve this issue immidiately!
I hope my review tickled your pickle, and I’ll be back writing again next week!
Rob!
www.myspace.com/lastletterread
