Cherubs: Icing (Vinyl LP)

Formed in 1992, Cherubs emerged on the Austin, TX, LSD punk scene with a jackhammer of nightmarish, rhythm-driven song structures and plenty of Butthole Surfers whimsy and terror to keep things more than interesting. Fast forward 20 years later and the band has reformed with more energy and songwriting acumen then ever.

Initially released via Butthole Surfers drummer, King Coffey’s, label Trance Syndicate, Icing captures the band at their most primitive form while hinting at the melodic intricacies they would develop over the years. The album was originally recorded and produced by Mr. Colson (L7, Dwarves, Linkin Park) and has been completely remastered and remixed from the original source tapes by Eric Wofford (Explosions in the Sky, Young Widows, The Black Angels).

While still very much a “noise rock” album, Icing brings together influences from Seattle’s first wave of late 80’s grunge alongside the influential “noise” scene happening in Austin throughout the 90’s. The album’s single “All Chickened Out” even received some airplay on BBC Radio 1 by John Peel…a sure sign of the prestige such ugly, aggressive and deconstructed “music” would receive over the coming decades. This is where it all started for Cherubs and somehow it’s still happening over three decades later.

1. Sugary
   
2. All Chickened Out
   
3. Half a Rat
   
4. Come
   
5. Ginger Upper
   
6. Fed
   
7. Shoofly
   
8. Pink Party Dessert
   
9. Vicki's Retreat
   
10. Kick Me