cherub – Vinyl Mag

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve noticed a huge wave of bands (usually all white) with major 90’s R&B influences popping up all over the place. From HAIM to Daft Punk, this resurgence has become the new trend in dance music, and Cherub is no exception. They’re new album, Year of the Caprese, out today, is drenched with 80’s and 90’s nostalgia. It’s hard to listen to it without picturing scrunchies and neon swim suits.

Hailing from Nashville, TN, Cherub’s two-member line up consisting of Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber gained recognition with their dance club hit, “Doses and Mimosas” and through word of mouth about their uproarious live performances which earned them a slot in major music festivals like Lollapalooza, South by Southwest and Bonnaroo. They’re electro-pop funk sound promises a party, but they’re album sounds more like something on your pre-party playlist. A gateway drug, but far from the hard stuff that will get you waking up in a Mexican hospital with no shoes.

Year of the Caprese, to me, sounds like atmosphere dance music, or chill grind wave, if that’s even a thing. But if it’s not, then at least Cherub can say they paved the way for something other than another excuse for frat guys to start going to music festivals. While the beginning beats and synth-pop influences hook you into the song, it never climaxes, the beat never drops, the full out dancing never starts. It just stays leveled throughout the entire song – really throughout the entire album.

Seeing how they got their notoriety from their live performances, I can see how songs like “Disco Shit” and “<3” could be much livelier and more beat-driven on a live stage with hundreds of people singing along. But I doubt I will ever find out since backward hat-wearing guys grinding girls in crop tops brings back horrible middle school dance memories of my South Florida youth.

Check out their outrageous video for “Doses and Mimosas” released today!

Tour Dates:

May 29 – Las Vegas, NV; Our Big Concert presented by X107.5

May 30 – San Diego, CA; X-Fest presented by San Diego 91X

May 31 – Los Angeles, CA; KROQ Weenie Roast

June 1 – San Francisco, CA; Live 105 BFD

June 7-8 – Ozark, AR; Wakarusa

June 12 – Manchester, TN; Bonnaroo

June 21 – Denver, CO – Westword Music Showcase

June 22 – Dover, DE; Firefly Music Festival

June 26-29 – Rothbury, MI; Electric Forest Festival

June 28-29 – Pilton, UK; Glastonbury

July 18 – Salacgriva, Latvia; Positivus Festival

July 19 – Bern, Switzerland; Gurtenfestival

August 1-3 – Montreal, Canada; Osheaga Festival

August 15 -17 – Somerset, WI; Summer Set Music & Camping Festival

September 6-7 – St Louis, MO; LouFest

Screen Shot 2014-04-19 at 12.57.35 PM — What am I doing with my leg? Photo by Chris Hunkele

This was one of my favorites. Last day of South by Southwest. Exhausted. My feet fell off somewhere on Sixth Street the night before. Pretty much ready to take a nap on the sidewalk. Completely ignoring all of that, because I get to interview Cherub, and there is no way not to be pumped about that.

We love this band. We all flipped over 100 Bottles when it came out last year, and we are more than ready for Year of the Caprese to come out on May 27 (as my poor friends know, I have a higher tolerance for listening to the same album/song/band for months on end than most people, so guys – you better like this one, because I have a feeling this is my 2014 Summer soundtrack).

I was super dang excited when I found out that I was going to get to interview Cherub at SXSW this year. Aside from being amazing musicians who put on an awesome live show (I just so happen to be seeing them tomorrow night at the Georgia Theatre in Athens!), I found out that they are also genuinely delightful dudes (#accidentalalliteration). Check out the Vinyl Video below to watch us talk about their music, applesauce, chunky vs. creamy peanut butter and what is next for Cherub.

Tag: cherub

Cherub: ‘Year of the Caprese’

SXSW 2014: Cherub x Vinyl Video