The past two years have given birth to new London-based band, Yuck, who have journeyed from a chance meeting in the Isreali desert to a respected up and coming position in the indie music scene that has gained them enthusiastic fans as well as performances accompanying the likes of indie veterans Modest Mouse. Childhood friends Daniel Blumberg and Max Bloom (formerly of the short-lived Cajun Dance Party), combined with drummer Jonny Rogoft, bassist Mariko Doi, and additional vocalist Ilana Blumberg to make up the band. Over the past year or two, they met, they merged, and they wrote, recorded, produced, and began touring for their self titled debut album. It has been a busy year for the predominately four member ensemble (that does not typically include Ilana), but the album does not reflect this rushed timeline.

The sound is nearly as diverse as the band members' backgrounds, which include New Jersey, the UK, and Hiroshima. The first two tracks ("Get Away" and "The Wall") bear a rather similar lightly raucous guitar-driven sound. After giving these a listen, just when you think you have a handle on what Yuck has to offer, the third song shifts its gears for a slower, softly sung acoustic number called "Shook Down". The next track, "Holing Out" returns to the low-fi vocal blended with jagged rhythm-keeping guitar melodies that began the record. Following this is "Suicide Policeman", which returns to the slower, Band of Horses (oddly enough) sound in a lower key. The tracks themselves favor song-long commitment as each individual track maintains its pace and purpose, but as a whole the album offers a variety of takes on alternative indie rock.

The album was self produced, which can be felt as it resonates with the charm of having been crafted with caring hands. As you get through the tracks, you find that it ranges between two distinct sounds of soft, slow-rhythm progression and pure guitar-swaying indie rock. "Rose Gives a Lilly" tries a hand at a lyric-less instrumentation and succeeds at showcasing sonic hypnotism; although if they chose to include vocals, it would probably enhance the track rather than hinder it. There are noticeably more hooks within tracks like "Operation", and the very beginning of "Sunday" almost sounds like a 90's REM demo. "Rubber" wraps up the album with perhaps the most static-filled, slow beat, drawling sound on the entire record, yet it is a sound that suits them.

Yuck will release their self titled debut on Fat Possum Records (February 15th for the United States and February 21st for the UK) in the middle of their current US tour followed by some UK shows.

Tracklist

1. Get Away
2. The Wall
3. Shook Down
4. Holing Out
5. Suicide Policeman
6. Georgia
7. Suck
8. Stutter
9. Operation
10. Sunday
11. Rose Gives a Lilly
12. Rubber

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Yuck on Myspace