As I listened to London-based band Yuck for the first time, a number of questions went through my head; where have I heard this before? Do they know what year it is? Is this supposed to be ironic? The answer: who gives a damn? Should I have been too quick to dismiss Yuck for jumping on the '90s revival bandwagon, I would have overlooked the band's impressive capacity for strong writing. Here, you'll find a remarkable balance between gritty guitar scuzz (yuck, right?) and commanding melodies. The album also has its share of slow-burners as well. Take the meandering, melodic side of Sonic Youth and couple that with the sincerity you'd find on a Sunny Day Real Estate record and you'll have a fair idea of what Yuck's all about. Yuck's self-titled LP is as bare-bones as the band's name; they have nothing to hide and no apologies owed. We can't expect every new band to be as off-the-wall experimental as Animal Collective these days. Sometimes we just want to listen to Nirvana. Yuck gets it.
Recommended if you like: Dinosaur Jr., Yo La Tengo, No Age
Focus Tracks: "The Wall", "Georgia", "Rubber"