CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR ā€“ The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch (Fueled By Ramen)
Original release date: June 20th, 2006
Cute Is What We Aim For is a US four-piece whose members are barely out of high school, playing power-pop songs about high school dramas which will mostly appeal to high school students.
Thereā€™s a lot of internet hype about the band ā€“ Sweat The Battle Before The Battle Sweats You admits, ā€?We have a whole lot to proveā€¯ ā€“ but while they live up to it on a superficial level, the album lacks depth. Frontman Shaant Hacikyanā€™s lyrics like ā€?Medically speaking youā€™re adorableā€¯ arenā€™t as clever as they suggest they are, and while his androgynous vocals and odd inflections are intriguing at first, they gradually get more irritating.
Highlights Thereā€™s A Class For This and The Curse Of Curves showcase a knack for a hook and are very memorable, but The Fourth Drink Instinct (a slow look at underage drinking and one night stands) ultimately promises much more emotional impact than it delivers, and in the end the same accusation can be levelled at the whole album. But Iā€™m not really in the bandā€™s target market or much concerned with teenage dramas and social cliques any more. So kids, go ahead and listen to The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch ā€“ after all, I canā€™t deny that songs like Sweet Talk 101 are infectious, upbeat and danceable. Just donā€™t try to tell me that Shaant is ā€?sooo smart and, like, deepā€¯, alright? Deal.
Owen Heitmann
