New York’s Cults have a deeply rooted love for pop’s older and more sentimental side. Considering how referential this music is, these two must be extremely well-verse when it comes to the Spectors, Wilsons, and Meeks of the world. I’m sure they’re even fans of artists in the Twee genre some people are so willing to label them with.

The duo’s style and sunny disposition is definitely the most solid thing this album has going for it–well, that’s the case for some people, anyway.

For me, it’s these very things that are kind of pushing me away from this album. Sure, I dig on Camera Obscura or some Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but this is too sweet for even me.

A few of the songs here, like “Go Outside” and “Oh My God,” come off with original melodies and fleshed out song structures, but many tracks here feel too familiar for me to want to latch on. Some songs even lazily fade out after a quick couple of verses and choruses, like “Abducted,” leaving me wanting a lot more.

So, I’m pretty lost on this one. It’s definitely sweet, but I can’t say much more about it than that. Just some young and fun revivalism that flies in one ear, and quickly shoots out the other for me.

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