“The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch”
By Peter V., Glendale, AZ
Hailing from Buffalo, New York, the quartet Cute Is What We Aim For has composed a bratty pop-punk masterpiece in their full-length debut album, “The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch.” Following in the footsteps of label mates Fall Out Boy and The Academy Is ..., these boys (the oldest is 20) have found a way to write catchy songs boasting unmatched vocabulary for contemporary slang and self-proclaimed fashion prowess while maintaining a sound distinguishable from their pop-punk peers. That sound can be attributed to lead singer Shaant Hacikyan’s scratchy voice contradicted by his smooth delivery of alliterations and metaphors, sung over the catchy riffs of clean guitars and the occasional piano melody.
“TSOBRWANT” delivers 12 tracks showcasing everything from Cute’s ability to write upbeat pop anthems like “Finger Twist and Split” and “I Put the ‘Metro’ in Metronome,” to acoustic ballads like “Lyrical Lies.”
The first single, “There’s A Class For This,” pokes fun at the band’s numerous critics, while the second, “The Curse of Curves,” shows Shaant’s pleasantly brash confidence with lyrics such as, “So with the combination of my gift with one liners/And my way/My way with words/It seems I’m too hip to keep tight lips.” The album provides song after song of non-repetitive power-pop, up until the last, and possibly best, track, “Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side).” A finale that sums up the theme of the entire album, all until the last cry of the melodious final chorus, “I’m selfish as selfish as comes/You’re giving me a run for my money/Honey.”
Overall, this album presents youthful pop-rock at its finest and I recommend it to fans of rock, pop, indie or pretty much anyone with ears.
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