REVIEW: Cupcakes, Cupcakes (DreamWorks)
- Jade Hughes
I first started to appreciate this album on my third listen. I had put the music on quite loud so that I could "feel" it and I was having a coffee with a friend. We both realised, nine or ten minutes into the album, that we were unconsciously moving our heads and smiling to the music.
To be honest, when I first listened to "Cupcakes" I thought it was just any other pop/rock band. It needed a few good listenings to realise that Cupcakes are not just any pop band, but an up-and-coming, modern band with a lot of potential.
The music sounds firstly like happy pop, the impression given by the simple, electronic sounds. This is then counteracted by a good dose of rock which spurts out through your stereo speakers and boosts the music up. The rock guitar riffs give the song more intensity.
The lyrics are emotional and straight to tthe point, and Preston Graves voice is very poignant, stands out from the music and conveys feeling. His voice is not always "easy-listening," especially when it reaches higher peaks, dripping with emotion, but it works exceptionally well with the music.
The first song, "Exaggerator," pulls you straight into the Cupcakes' world, which seems to be a mix of anything and everything, it's up to the listener to pick out what they want to. My definite favourite is "Blood Thirsty," as the lyrics are very direct and r emind me exactly of what I would love to do to someone I hate - I think everyone can compare their own experiences to this one! "Space Age Boy" is another gem. The music of this song has a slower beat and it is so full of emotion that it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Those three are my favourites, but the others are pretty interesting and well worth listening to. Any fans of Pavement, The Presidents of the USA, Blur, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins should love Cupcakes' debut album. An interesting band who are probably going to have an interesting future!
