Album Review: Cheekface- It's Sorted

For some reason, probably age, I like to categorize music using the usual factors of geography, year and so on. 

I feel like in recent years, music is starting to transcend the rigid genre divisions in ways that it hadn’t previously. That said, I doubt I will change my mindset which is probably the human emotion of departmentalizing things. 

So when I think of SoCal trio Cheekface, I think of the first song of there’s I heard - the pop-punk 2022s “When Life Hands You Problems” and immediately I categorize them with bands like Green Day and Blink 182 and though they are LA based, they seem the next in a lineage of Lookout (San Francisco) Records and Cargo (San Diego) Records. 

After hearing that particular song and moving onto their other output, it’s probably better to lump them with the sing-talk bands of today- Yard Act, Wet Leg, Dry Cleaning, Sleaford Mods and so on. In fact, in the same song, Cheekface can start out with the aloof, detached haughtiness of Yard Act and then end up in goofy Jonathan Richman style territory a la Bug Club. 

 Music has changed over the years and so it’s all Reddit, YouTube and Streaming and Anthony Fantano (surely the closest thing to Robert Christgau in 2024). Allmusic doesn’t even have a Cheekface entry even though they have millions of streams and vinyl available through Bandcamp. 

Interestingly, as I checked out online reviews, there is one band that pops up on comparison more than any other and I didn’t expect it and that’s They Might Be Giants. Paste says about the new album “slinging songs about late capitalism and social anxiety, and (none of their peers) can match the LA indie rock trio’s sheer winsome They-Might-Be-Giants goofiness. 

 New Noise says “Katz’s half-talking delivery (bringing to mind the deadpan wit of Cake or They Might Be Giants) perfectly sets the scene, while the music scuttles along, usually culminating in some of the most irresistibly catchy pop-rock choruses you could wish for.” 

Zerovu blog says it’s a lineage that begins with Young Fresh Fellows then goes to TMBG then Weezer before arriving at Cheekface. In any case, this band might be too quirky for some people but the combination of hooks and quirks has definitely found it an audience

Best Albums of 2024

As I usually do this time of year, please enjoy my list of Top 20 albums of 2024, which are all artists I featured last year.

Sam Barber- Restless Mind (Lockeland Records/ Atlantic) -21 year old releases 28 song debut album with as much ambition as early Zach Bryan with a similar set of talents too.

Brigitte Calls Me Baby- The Future Is On the Way Out (ATO) - I am going to tell my children this debut from Chicago based five piece is the Smiths.

The Bug Club - On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System (Sub Pop)- Quirky Welsh duo continue to thrill with their multi-genre influenced indie rock.

Zach Bryan- The Great American Bar Scene (Belting Bronco/Warner)- Bryan finally reaches his full potential making an album that gets played on country radio but in line with Springsteen mythos, even featuring the Boss himself.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds- Wild God (PIAS)- As if Ghosteen-era Nick Cave would meet pre-Ghosteen era Nick Cave and they made a record.

Cheekface - It's Sorted (Cheekface)- Somehow pulling from the slacker pop of Jonathan Richman and Steven Malkmus and quirky alternative like the B-52s and Devo to make music that is somehow both and also neither Blink-182 style Pop-Punk and modern day Crank Wave.

Decemberists- As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again (YABB)- With a six year hiatus, Colin Meloy returns with an album that pulls from all of the eras from the band from the bookish, 19th century-obsessed quirky folk of the early albums and the melodic prog rock-loving straight forward Americana of recent years.

Mick Harvey- Five Ways to Say Goodbye (Mute)- The first "solo" album in a decade from the hardly idle Harvey is a fantastic curation of mostly covers that fit well into his catalog.

Libertines All Quiet on the Eastern Esplenade (Casablanca/Republic/EMI) Surprising fourth album is a fan favorite from Barat and Doherty’s gang.

NewDad- Madra (Atlantic/Fair Youth) - Long awaited debut from Irish band that blends shoegaze and indie pop in the ways those great groups of the 1990s often did.

Old 97's-American Primitive (ATO)- As the title implies, the Old 97's keep it pretty raw here, and continue their streak of great albums.

Peter Perrett- The Cleansing (Domino) - Third solo album from the other side of a career that started with the glorious self-destructive leader of the Only Ones still with the qualities that made him so compelling with the gravitas of approaching the final years.

Real Estate - Daniel (Domino) - Sixth album from one of the great bands of that made their recorded debut in the same magical "indie rock" era with Passion Pit, Florence and the Machine and Titus Andronicus, still going strong mixing surf sounds, jangly guitars and dream pop.

Charlie Risso -Alive (T3) Hugo Race produced Chanteuse from London via Genoa delivers cinematic third album that deserves to be heard.

Still Corners -Dream Talk (Wrecking Light) - Dreams are the theme on the sixth album from long time neo-psych ethereal pop UK/US duo.

Swami and the Bed Of Nails- All Of This Awaits You (Swami)- Out of the sadness of losing friend Rick Froberg, John Reis gives us this immensely enjoyable songs about things as diverse as condiments, Banana peels and Harbor Freight tools. Suck it, writer's block.

The The- Ensoulment (Cineola/Earmusic) -For a brief moment, Matt Johnson and Warne Livesay team up again and capture some of that Infected/Mind Bomb magic.

Tindersticks - Soft Tissue- (City Slang) - Album # 14 is a short one but contains the elements like Stuart Staples's soulful voice to add some excellent new songs to their lengthy catalogue.

Vacations- No Place Like Home (Nettwerk/No Fun) -Third album from Australian indie poppers bridges classic college rock and millennial pop influence.

X- Smoke & Fiction (Fat Possum)- Much heralded final album from legendary band gives us what we want- Billy's fantastic guitar, DJ's thump and those wonderful harmonies with lyrics that look back at their career, leaving us wanting more even if all we get might be solo work.