Reviews

Cheersquad

The Fadeaways Pretty Wild LP

This is like the ninth or tenth full-length—one of two they put out in 2024!—from this long-running Tokyo act that at times borders on garage rock cosplay. Looks like it was assembled to support a tour of Australia, but it’s all new music: eleven tracks of straightforward garage rock, played loud as hell. They’re not tossing out any curveballs, so this is more or less interchangeable with all their other releases. But I don’t think they’d have it any other way. Regardless, it’s fun as hell. It’s also wild how good the recording sounds—it’s got that same recorded-inside-a-nuclear-reactor vibe that you get with a TEENGENERATE or GUITAR WOLF record, but also somehow comes across crystal clear. More bands need to get in touch with this sound engineer!

The Stems Mushroom Soup: The Citadel Years LP

While these guys delivered a deliberately ’60s-sounding psychedelic/garage experience, they were actually an Australian band from the ’80s. They were a big deal back then. If you’re a fan of fuzz and organ and your sensibilities are firmly rooted in the garage, you’ll latch onto this one. That’s a sound that can be sort of hit or miss with me, mostly because I find it’s easy to do a poor job of it. Not so here. This is good shit. Eighteen cuts is definitely pushing my attention span, but it doesn’t come at the expense of quality. Excellent record.

The Vors Boss LP

I’m not sure I can accurately describe how much I hate the opening track, “Human Being (Jelly Bean).” I’d be cool if I never heard it again. Dumb idea, great execution. The VORS play the type of punchy indie rock that can easily be called punk by publications and fans, but it isn’t punk! But it isn’t all bad, either. The second track, “You Treat Me Like an Asshole,” is three-and-a-half minutes of perfect summer fun. It’s somehow surfy and beachy without relying on any associated tropes. In another life, this chorus would slam and exert a little aggression, but that’s not what they do well! The VORS don’t need the aggression to keep you in. It’s sunny and fun while still retaining a rock edge. This is music for a beach party or a summer drive with friends smoking cigs and drinking warm beers.