Cartel "Cycles" Back to Great Music
Courtney Jones
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Entertainment
As Pugh openly admits on "Retrograde," "I have no remorse/I have no shame/I'm looking for the center of this life I've found." The band sounds happier, unified as a collective whole, which was the downfall of their previous album. "Faster Ride" feels like it is looking for an auto-tuned remix to come give it a touch-up, and "The Perfect Mistake" is the weak link on the record, with a disappointing chorus. There is a southern charm to "Deep South," a clear homage to Pugh's homeland of Georgia, and while some lyrics come across as cliché on "It Still Remains" and "Only You," both pack in such irresistibly tight pop melodies, they will crawl into your brain and make you bob your head until it explodes(or you find an annoying song that takes up residency instead).
The songs "27 Steps" and "See Me Now" are the best mainstream ones on the record, and will surely top the charts later this year. With every future listen, it appears that Cartel have shaken off all the critics, the heartbreak and started anew - not just with a new label, but a new approach to maintaining that sense of urgency and delivering satisfying hooks that don't overwhelm upon first listen- and hey, the songs are not all about breakups anymore. Guess they broke that cycle. Haha. About time they started a new one.
Cartel may have just recorded the first pop-rock album in years that actually doesn't overcompensate with extremely long song title names, or scandalous band member behavior. This album is about nothing but the music. While the band may never please those who want the second-coming of "Chroma," these eleven tracks will be sure to please most that are searching for great music in the pop-punk genre of 2009. Welcome back to the game, boys.
The songs "27 Steps" and "See Me Now" are the best mainstream ones on the record, and will surely top the charts later this year. With every future listen, it appears that Cartel have shaken off all the critics, the heartbreak and started anew - not just with a new label, but a new approach to maintaining that sense of urgency and delivering satisfying hooks that don't overwhelm upon first listen- and hey, the songs are not all about breakups anymore. Guess they broke that cycle. Haha. About time they started a new one.
Cartel may have just recorded the first pop-rock album in years that actually doesn't overcompensate with extremely long song title names, or scandalous band member behavior. This album is about nothing but the music. While the band may never please those who want the second-coming of "Chroma," these eleven tracks will be sure to please most that are searching for great music in the pop-punk genre of 2009. Welcome back to the game, boys.
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