Cults – “Cults”

3.9 out of 5

What a couple of smart-asses. It’s bad enough that Manhattan, NY based duo, Cults, chose such a ubiquitous term as a band name, they took the cheeky step of also using it as the title of their debut LP. As one can perhaps appreciate, this makes researching the band a rather challenging task, particularly considering their 2010 EP, Cults 7”, was void of any biographical information whatsoever. What we do know is that vocalist Madeline Follin and multi-instrumentalist Brian Oblivion (yes…you read that correctly) have crafted a record with enough going on that a biographical introduction isn’t necessary. The deceptively complex blend of Motown, lo-fi, and dream-pop, make for a fantastic record to kick-off your summer.

Album opener “Abducted” sets the tone nicely: jangly guitars, xylophone and Follin’s alto, all of which sound shallow and miles away, will have you wondering what’s wrong with your stereo. By the time you get to the volume dial, the bass, drums and synth washes kick in, much of the reverb disappears, and the volume gets cranked: “I knew right then that I’d been abducted. I knew right then that he would be taking my heart,” Follin sings, metaphorically supplanting love with abduction. Cleverly, Oblivion takes the third verse, stepping in as the lover/abductor: “I knew right then that she’d been abducted. I knew right then that I would be taking her heart.” The witty narrative perfectly counterbalances the otherwise propulsive piece of bubblegum pop. Yet for all of the shimmery sheen running throughout Cults, the duo reach for (though not always attain), a more substantial narrative. “Go Outside”, the lone holdover from Cults 2010 EP, has a sun-drenched xylophone melody accessible enough for a six-year old to get behind, yet the track opens with a sample from none other than People’s Temple cult leader, Jim Jones: “To me, death is not a fearful thing. It’s living that is treacherous.” It’s that “living is treacherous” theme which permeates much of the lyrical content on the record, albeit in the poppiest tone possible.

The album’s midsection plays like a veritable who’s who of Motown: the Phil Spector style production (take stock of the finger snaps, those shakers and the dead give-away percussion styling), and the liberal borrowing of not one, but two Supremes tracks during the verses of “You Know What I Mean” (I hear “Baby Love” and “Where Did Our Love Go?” but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are others). Elsewhere, standout track “Oh My God”, plays like something the Jackson 5 might have recorded were they to have had access to all of the technical wizardy of today’s music studios. Opening with a reverb driven drum and synth loop, and rooted with a fantastic bass line, Follin dishes out her best M.J. impersonation. Though the record closes on its lone weak link “Rave On”, the track prior to it, “Bumper” is another standout. With piano, a dirty electric guitar outro, plenty of “la, la, la, la, las”, and Follin and Oblivion trading vocals, it’s an indelible pop treat.

Part of what makes Cults work is the lo-fi nature of the recording. Released on Lily Allen’s label “In the Name Of”, which is backed by Sony, we can assume the record wasn’t cut on the cheap and that the effect is deliberate. This is always a tricky balancing act, as, more often than not, the effect of consciously “dumbing down” the production translates into nothing more than a contrived attempt to sound aged. But, when coupled with Follin’s layered vocals, the lo-fi finish helps reduce the syrupy nature of the source material. As much as Cults liberally (oh so liberally…), mine the heyday of Motown, the heavy use of synths, drum loops and guitar fuzz sound decidedly current. More importantly however, the hooks are there, making Cults an interesting act to keep an eye on.

- Ewan Christie

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