Yuck's had some good luck. Or is it determination? The band has stuck it out despite line-up changes and label flips. And, yeah, Stranger Things, the new album that just dropped yesterday, is pretty darn solid so it was probably all worth it.
"Hold Me Closer" kicks things off in fine fashion -- all Ash-like hooks wrapped up inside Dinosaur Jr.-noise. Yuck are at their best when they stick to the sort of singalong indie exemplified by the shiny pop of "Only Silence", which is supremely catchy, or the obvious single "Cannonball" that's every bit as immediate and tasty as that old Breeders cut of the same name. The slower numbers on Stranger Things didn't grab me as much as the uptempo numbers, though the slow-burn of "I'm OK" did offer up a Pavement-like vibe that I really dug, and closer "Yr Face" admirably channeled both Sonic Youth and Medicine to pretty good results. Also of note here is the lilting title cut which blends a decided Sixties-sort of riff with a Nineties-sense of indie to shape a cut that has a truly beautiful chorus.
Yuck are not going to set the world on fire but they seem okay with that. As another reviewer pointed out -- and I'm paraphrasing here -- Yuck seem like a band in the wrong decade. And, well, that's okay 'cause I dig all the reference points here on Stranger Things. If I've heard other bands do this sort of thing already that doesn't diminish the charms of the Yuck approach. Yuck have made a largely pleasing album with modest goals. Throw any one of these tracks on an indie mix (tape/CD/playlist), and you'll be very happy indeed.
Stranger Things by Yuck is out now. More details on the band's official website.