After a very long two and a half year wait Cults are back with their second album. Static is the follow up to their 2011 eponymous debut which initially charmed us with tracks such as Abducted and You Know What I Mean. Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin’s unusual and quirky musical sensibility is the driving force behind their unique style which packs a memorable punch.
The twelve track album opens with Follin’s ethereal vocals on top of a backdrop which resembles teeny bopper pop from the 1950s. An interesting choice for their first track, however, those of you familiar with the opening of Cults first album will know that this band does not play by the book. It is their fearless attempt at creating something original that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Follin’s vocals, which have languorously swum through your headphones, are gloriously interrupted by the titular static which leads into I Can Hardly Make You Mine. The second track is a complete change of pace from the first and also sets the tone for the feel of the album; you are constantly kept on your toes as with each track you are presented with something so unlike the track before.
The stand out track on the album is Always Forever. It is an effortlessly charming and whimsical love song which is beautiful in its innocence. So many modern love songs from more mature bands or indie bands are tinged with a sexual edge or indeed have gregarious references to sex however it is the virtue and purity of the song that makes this track so very likeable. Sadly, the rest of the album passes by in a bit of a blur, with no other tracks really standing out on first listen.
Overall, the album is everything that you expect from Cults in that it is a complete mash-up of the unexpected. It is beautiful, experimental and charismatic and was well worth the wait.
All work remains the copyright of its author, please don't duplicate without consent
Website by Hut Six Digital