CHEERBLEEDERZ- ‘Faceplant’
That’s a truly terrible band name. But the clunky moniker aside, Cheerbleederz haven’t really put a foot wrong here. It might be because the London trio haven’t attempted too much but from the bouncy buzz of ‘Staying Up Late’ to the infectious melodies of ‘Cabin Fever’, this is four tracks of simple but ever-so-effective indie pop. There is verve and energy and charm. There are steady rhythms, shiny hooks, and a triple vocal threat. And there are lyrics about sitcoms and crushes and the occasional “woo!” but nothing saccharine. In fact, as fun as ‘Faceplant’ can be, it feels like there’s a sneaky dose of melancholy in both the words and the music and it anchors the record when the modest set-up threatens to be so lightweight it might fly away. It’s hard to believe this is a debut effort until you reel off the list of other bands (Happy Accidents, Fresh, Finish Flag, and more) where these guys have honed their art but it’s easy to cheer for it as the start of something brilliant.
