Back in the days of mix tapes, label catalogues, college radio and CD compilations as your only navigational devices for finding non-mainstream rock, tracking down these sasquatches was quite a conquest (this may be because I grew up in the woods of Vermont). But it was easy to see why many of the great noise rock bands of the eighties and early 90’s got lost in the hairy, sweaty seas of grunge and “alternative” rock that were clogging drains nation wide.
Trance Syndicate was a record label that I discovered in one of the catalogues that were in every Touch and Go record’s band’s CD.
These little catalogues were also distro’s for other amazing labels/bands, as well, and it was a safe assumption that 95% percent of these releases would be quality rock records. After scouring scattered bands on each label, I gave Cherubs’ Heroin Man a shot. The first thing I remember was how blown out and gritty the sound of this album was. It’s that same gross feeling you get watching VHS recorded home videos; it can even make grandma’s 73rd birthday at Bonanzas look like some nasty snuff film you’d buy in a paper bag behind a bondage club. Through this dirge and muck, Cherubs sculpted some of the raunchiest, catchiest, off-kilter and infectious melodies known to noise rock.
Throughout the years I was able to seek out their other two full lengths, Icing and a collection of singles and un-released tracks, Short of Popular, which are also just as abominably awesome. To this day, the track “Chanukka” on Short of Popular is one of my favorite songs and is still a mix CD staple. I am not really sure if Cherubs ever made their way up to Vermont, but I think by the time I was going to shows they had disbanded.
After seeing a post in my Facebook feed from Brutal Panda Records saying that Cherubs are reuniting and releasing a new record, I nearly spit out my Dutch-quail egg and Bleu de Gex mini omelet, immediately demanded a copy of the album, and… 2 Ynfynyty rules.
I am sure other reviews of this album have said this, but it’s like they didn’t skip a beat, and it’s the truth!
2 Ynfynyty could have been comfortably released right after Short of Popular, and it would have made total sense. It has all the same filthy, anatomically incorrect parts of all their other full lengths and then some. The recording quality and mastering on this album is even bigger than usual, and Cherubs sound more monstrous than ever. Even the slower tracks like, “Monkey Chow Mein,” “Cumulo Nimbus,” and “Party Ice” will leave bruises on your brain.
The heavier tracks on 2 Ynfynyty like “Crashing The Ride,” “Unhappyable,” “We Buy Gold,” and “Evil May Acre” maintain the same off-kilter rhythms and savagery that always kept Cherubs ahead of the game in the genre of “noise rock”. “Sunday Mondays” is also a delightful little nightcap to this precious little record.
I want this record to get big, and I want younger fans of noise rock that missed out on this band to hear 2 Ynfynyty.
It is a well needed change of pace from what’s happening in the genre right now. This album is a lesson in not being afraid of getting your hands dirty and then licking your fingers afterwards.
When the Bearded Gentlemen Music Editors told me I was going to be interviewing the band, I have to admit I got a little giddy and nervous, and that is rare. It was like the time I saw the Jesus Lizard at Club Toast, and David Yow did some half-backflip off the stage and didn’t get back up and was taken out by a stretcher. The band slowly and angrily let “Monkey Trick” pitter out, and eventually the only one left on stage was bassist David Wm. Sims. Being my absolute favorite band at the time and being a “starstruck” 15 year old, the only words I could muster up were “Hi, uh…that was, uh, really good.” He flashed me half a glance and said “thanks” out of the corner of his mouth and immediately left the stage.
Rating: 6 out of 6 Doves Prince loved 2 Ynfynyty so much, that he missed his name being called for his 11th Grammy of the night because he was playing it over and over again in his head. The doves knew to stay out of his way when he got back home. Scariest game of purple hide and seek at the Prince Mansion ever.
Interview with Kevin Whitley of Cherubs
Tell us about 2 Ynfynyty and how it all came together.
Well, that’s an easy question. We worked together at a food coop a long ass time ago and ragged on everybody else’s band and ragged on our own bands and solemnly swore to destroy for a limited time, self destruct repeatedly, rise from the dead repeatedly, and eventually, when the Internet was invented and the willynilly exchange of media was established, hold ourselves up for ridicule and crucifixion. And look what happened. All of it.
Nothing shows friendship, devotion, affection, love, and appreciation, more than a Mylar balloon; is this symbolic of the album’s themes? Did you ever get my fruit bouquets that I sent you?
I’ve never been quite as disappointed as I am right now about not receiving these fruit bouquets. When did you send them? It is a brilliant bummer. Way lower lows. Fuk. It. Where did you send them? I’m having a hard time with it.
The balloon. It’s hard to make the transition from the fruit to the balloon. Ok, so, the balloon – the balloon represents the very light and floating triumph of the spirit. It is what makes us make music – and it is also, tonally, the polar opposite of the weightiness of the music. Music is the only chance we have at connecting with the unknown and each other – besides sex and love perhaps. And we’re not scientists – so we’re certainly not going to make sense of things or try to explain them. So the balloon is ethereal, light, mundane, carnivalesque, dumbly heavy, and clunkily transcendent- all at the same time. So it seemed appropriate. We gave ourselves the gold star and the ‘nice job’ because we weren’t sure anybody else would and we wanted to make sure we got some credit for what we’d done. It was a lot of work and we were proud of it – despite how it might be received. So let’s get back to the fruit – can you just send it to Brutal Panda, care of Cherubs?
What were you guys up to on your time off between records?
We collectively have been married 5 times between the 3 of us, I think. We are responsible for 4 kids directly, and communally for maybe about 6 at least. I have to count Charlie in the kids because we all love him and make him do stuff even though he’s not our kid. We have moved around, gotten surgeries, went on vacations, made sound and unsound decisions, wasted money, compromised the future with too much belief in the present and vice versa. You’d think those last two would cancel each other out – but it feels like we’re still learning too much if we’re to be considered old and wise. It’s never too late to be a dumbass apparently.
2 Ynfynyty is gritty and blown out which has become a Cherubs’ staple. I am excited you guys stuck with this sound, the album sounds menacing! Who did you record and master with?
Brilliant – that means it’s doing what it was intended to do. Thank freaking God. And thank you Mike McCarthy and Howie Weinberg for understanding what we were trying to say with our hands and our pointing and grunting. That shit gets embarrassing when you start being a tittybaby about how it should sound. Now we can pretend we said all the right things and turned all the magic knobs – but it was those guys.
What have you all been listening to lately? Any bands you’d recommend?
Lee hazlewood, stars of the lid, burnt skull, obnox, total control, Charlie pride, the silver convention, gotobeds, blind shake, protomartyr, Dolly Parton, bullet boys, tche belew, pissed jeans, gram parsons, saint Pepsi, Scorpions, shit and shine, ata kak, new kingdom, selfish cunt, there are maybe two more, oh, Freddy Fender. And then the two more.
Any tour plans? What are your favorite cities to play in?
We are trying to get to China, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Iceland, and then the other places. Then come back here and see about some stateside stuff – but we have lives, so we have to budget our time so as to appear responsible. We also have to navigate various ailments, sicknesses, manias, fears, dependencies, and prejudices. Those all build up as you get older and feel like you have something to lose. Whatevs – dust to dust.
How is working with Brutal Panda Records? They have been putting out a lot of great stuff over the years.
You know, they seem like nice enough people. And they put up with us pretty good. And it’s funny when Mike gets mad because of a company whose name starts with P. But who can blame him, they piss me off too.
Are you working on any music videos for any of the tracks on 2 Ynfynyty? I know it would mean a lot to Tawny Kitaen to share in your spotlight. Watching her do the splits all three ways on a rainy, penthouse roof-deck to “Monkey Chow Mein” could be a game changer.
Good heavens, Tawny. That’s a humpy song too, so the possibilities for her to showcase her abilities are extensive. She wants to know what love is, and she wants you to show her – poor thing. We do have a video for “Crashing The Ride” in the works but it’s a labor of love and those kinds of labors are long and meticulous, so who knows. Well, tawny kind of knows I guess. We also might have a video for a single that might be coming out in June, MAYBE. I don’t know anything about that really. The P company is involved so who the fuck knows how it might go down. It is for sure that we will get to see Mike have another hissy fit – so it’s already deeeelish.
Do you guys have any other side projects that you are working on?
Toeing the line, keeping our noses clean, walking the straight and narrow – that’s what we do on the side. We don’t have TIIIIME for things on the side. We don’t have TIIIIME for this even. We don’t have TIIIIME because we’re old and we’re going to DIIIE. Owen does something with King and Craig klaus – but king got hit by a car, so that shit is out. So nope on the sides – unless you count going out to eat. ‘And our alter ego, Dallas Foxes. Same members as Cherubs, but we only have a couple songs (or three) – “Blaming Youth,” “I Hates Ketchup,” and “Hooky.”
2 Ynfynyty is one of the best albums I have heard in years and I think a lot of people are going to love it. What are your future plans for Cherubs?
You know, it’s worth it all to have you feel that way and say that. We want people to love it. We want it to have meaning for people. We make it to be felt. So we are honored that you feel the way you do. We are working on new material, and BP doesn’t like us talking about what might be next, but damn, this next batch of cookies is going to be like mommy. So xoxoxoxoxoxox from mommy. Cheers.