CHEERBLEEDERZ – EP REVIEW


Cheerbleederz – Faceplant EP (Alcopop!
Cheerbleederz - Faceplant EP
Records)

Release Date: 24th September 2018
So, I’ve listened to the four track on this EP on a loop now 6 times in a row and it was only after the fifth listen that I noticed that this is the debut EP from London trio Cheerbleederz (props on the name). The ‘Faceplant’ EP is a little rough around the edges but that is in no way a bad thing and, much like eating cake mix before you’ve baked it because there aren’t any grown-ups around to tell you not, just adds to the pleasure. Opening track ‘Staying Up Late’ rattles along a fine old indie-pop pace and with lines like “Staying up late, watching sit-coms, they make me feel safe” you know you’re dealing with a band who make music true to themselves and that’s always reassuring.

‘Don’t Hesitate’ settles in to a steady rhythm and finds a place between Belly and the Long Blondes 
owing to the sweet harmonies and direct structure of the song. On ‘Thinking of You’ is an anti-love song or denial-pop depending on your angle but either way it does that velvet glove thing of hitting hard without breaking the skin on impact. Closing track ‘Cabin Fever’ is my favourite from this debut collection and that’s partly because it opens with the line “I think that we’re all doomed coz I got a crush on you” and which one of us hasn’t been in that place at one point or another? The use of three part harmonies and refreshing lyricism (“wish I could tear the skin right off my arms” anyone?) makes this collection an instantly loveable collection but it stands up to repeated listens too and that’s a neat trick to pull off. More please.


Live Dates:

24th September – EP Launch @ Genesis Cinema, London