CHEER-ACCIDENT

This is the last album of that five album run that began with 2009's "Fear Draws Misfortune" that is right in my wheelhouse when it comes to their music. And this one might be my favourite along with that 2009 album and "Fades", my top three from them. We get eight tracks worth under 38 minutes, and once again they have surprised me. This is such a catchy and melodic album, but of course there are plenty of avant moments as well. I was just surprised at hearing song after song that has a heavy groove, are mid-paced, and are vocal led. Very uniform this recording, and it's been a while that I've had a song stuck in my head, but "Life Rings Hollow" accomplished that. More on that later.

In the press release the band states that they maybe shouldn't be rocking out so much at their advanced ages. You have to appreciate the humour of this band. Off the charts. They describe this album as "Harmony and dissonance, love and hate, oboes and drums...they all help to form this delicious and strange bed fellowship." They also mention that this might be their most gripping album vocally, and I agree, with three singers bringing the goods. Including drummer and band leader Thymme Jones, Greg Beemster who sings on but one track, and the main singer Carmen Armillas who impresses big time. Thymme plays a surprising amount of trumpet on this one, along with keyboards, of course drums, and more.

The 2 minute opener "Intimacy" features angular sounds that are almost industrial sounding, bringing about a strange combination of sounds that remind me of THE RESIDENTS and THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS. I really like the 80's vibe with those bass synths on "Diatoms" that 3 minute third track. The synths pretty much growl here. Vocals join in and then an instrumental break that is experimental. I like when that guitar line kicks in around 2 minutes. My favourite track is "Life Rings Hollow". It was recorded in a different location that the rest of the songs and features a singer and musician who are only on this tune. That musician playing mellotron of all things. This song has been in my head on and off all last week. "So I took a little ride on the side of I won't be there". Love this one including the bass and mellotron.

"I Don't Believe" is the longest piece at over 7 1/2 minutes and is a top three with the previous track. It's not exactly ear friendly to start, but 1 1/2 minutes in to the end is all gravy. "Plea Bargain" and the earlier song "Diatoms" are in a tie for that third spot when it comes to favourite songs on here. I wish the next track "Things" was the closer, it would have been perfect. I put such a high emphasis on the opening and closing tracks and the closer here "Slowly For Awhile" just doesn't do it or me. A skippable finale unfortunately. It's slower than the rest and the vocals are annoying.

What an album though! So glad I picked this up this year, and how about that art work! Bringing CHICAGO's most famous band to mind with the script being in that same style as CHICAGO used to use. I really like what CHEER ACCIDENT created here. What a band!

We get 15 songs here worth about 48 minutes. A lot of variety and guests. My top three would include that instrumental "This Is The New That" and it's a killer I tell ya. Off-kilter and heavy. A really determined sound before 3 minutes and the guitar, drums and organ standout. How about "Sleep"? Vocals and horns standout, and I like sleep. "Barely Breathing" is a beauty with those high pitched vocals and catchy sound.

I would probably rate this as my forth favourite of those four, but this is a keeper. Also expectations were maybe a little too high after hearing the previous record "Fear Draws Misfortune".

I have a couple of the early ones including this one "Sever Roots.Tree Dies" from 1988 their second album, along with "Babies Shouldn't Smoke" their fourth from 1992. Neither in my opinion are as good as their later stuff. That includes the production, and this was a heavier band early on. I like that 1992 album over this one, but this record surprisingly hits that alternative rock style quite a bit. Very much hit and miss, and while I consider "Babies Shouldn't Smoke" the better of the two, it's a low 4 stars, so this one has to be a 3 star affair in my world.

Their debut by the way is called "Life Isn't Like That" from 1986, and it's not on this site right now. This one is a 44 minute album with nine tracks and is tagged with brutal prog, art punk, noise rock, art rock and more. How funny is that track title "Cutting Off My Arm So I Don't Have To Shake Hands". Perhaps like myself they spent some time in church growing up. And by "they" this is the project of drummer Thymme Jones who also adds mellotron, piano, trumpet, vocals and tape samples. Such a talented individual and the only one on all of their albums.

A trio here with bass and guitar, but the bass player adds mellotron, piano, flute, tape samples and vocals. By the way the liner notes state that they borrowed that mellotron, and they use it on a couple of songs "Avoid The Invisible" and "Severed", and mostly mellotron cello. The opener "Fight For Innocence" is surprisingly emotional with the sounds of children and piano standing out. Let kids be kids please. "Heaven" at 7 minutes is my favourite. The Father's House I call that place. The bass is incredible on it, plus a drum show and more. Trumpet ends it fittingly.

It's been close to five years since I spent time with the two earlier ones from this band. So this has been fun, and really these are setting me up for next week as I re-visit "No If's, Ands Or Dogs" from 2011. One of my top four albums from these guys along with "Fear Draws Misfortune", Putting Off Death" and "Fades". What a band! Humble beginnings right here. The two highest rated studio albums from this band on RYM are "Introducing Lemon" from 2003 and "Chicago XX" from 2019, I have neither. Check this band out please.

"Babies Shouldn't Smoke" is from 1992 and if anything they've increased the power here from that 1988 record. I also feel the humour is increased and this sounds more original, more like them, then the earlier one. This one gets tagged with noise rock for a reason and I feel it doesn't start that well but gets better as it plays out. From the first half though I have to mention "The Butterfly Effect" a ten minute piece opening with a fan telling the band they should get a real singer and play verse, chorus, verse before he gets destroyed by this heavy and dissonant music. Like they just ran him over.

There's three really great tracks on the second half like "Playschool", "Big Secret Airshow" and "Ignorance Moving Sideways". The closer is pretty funny too. A 56 minute album that has it's hits and misses but such a strong finish. Overall this is a low 4 stars. These guys have the best album titles don't they? And 30 studio albums! Such a talented band.

Over the years the band has included many musicians, and has pursued many different stylings, but this album can actually be traced back to the Nineties. On January 31st, 1999, Thymme Jones (piano, keyboards, Moog bass, vocals, trumpet, tambourine, mouth snare, mouth percussion, handclaps, shaker, ambience) was in Solid Sound with Jeff Libersher (electric & acoustic guitars), Dylan Posa and Phil Bonnet working on 'Salad Days' when during a break he and Phil discussed their joint love of Burt Bacharach. Just a few days later, Phil died from a brain aneurism, and it has taken until now for Cheer-Accident to record their own album of easy listening. Given that Thymme grew up on a heavy diet of Herb Alpert before discovering Burt Bacharach, it is somewhat of a surprise that it has taken him this long to undertake his own version of the genre, but there again the band have never been content to follow any sort of normal path.

The only true constant in Cheer-Accident has been Thymme as over the years he has used multiple musicians (although Jeff Libersher has been there for most of it), as the band have continually reinvented themselves and their musical style so no-one ever really knows what will be contained within. Steve Albini has again worked with them on this album, continuing an association which stretches all the way back to the Eighties, and together they have created something truly magical. Apart from Thymme and Jeff there are 16 musicians listed on this album, and the result is something which sounds huge, with Thymme's trumpet incredibly important to the overall proceedings. Up until now I would have probably pointed to 2017's 'Putting Off Death' as my favourite release, but there is something truly special about this album, and with Word crashing on me it has allowed me to play it a few more times, for which I am truly grateful. Sometimes based on piano, sometimes gentle guitar, there are an amazing number of layers here on an album which really does sound inspired by Bacharach, The Carpenters, Dionne Warwick and more. I love it.

The band calls this their "Kraut-Pop" record and it does groove with some outstanding vocals throughout. We still get some odd ball moments and hey I hear harmonium, bassoon, baritone sax, strings and the like, so there's that. Over 20 artists involved in the making of this. The opener "Done" is not a favourite but I acknowledge it's a great introduction to the type of music you are going to hear and maybe the most commercial sounding of the ten songs as well. High pitched synths don't do a lot for me.

Having said that the next four tracks create a high water mark few have hit when you combine the melodic with the avant. "The Mind-Body Experience" has so much more depth then the opener and so catchy. The depth is heard in the distortion, baritone sax, bass and harmonium. Male vocals before a minute. "Monsters" just grooves and talk about depth. Vocals and insane laughter ends it. "I'm Just Afraid" has the best vocal performance in my opinion by a male named Sacha Mullin. Incredibly smooth vocals, love his tone. Horns too. "Trying To Comfort Mary" is another amazing track. Male vocals, drums and guitar stand out. Just a great tune.

"Art Land" isn't quite as good as the four that proceed it but is a stripped down track done by a trio of vocals, guitar/bass and drums. "Last But Not Lost" is more avant, bassoon too. Intense with pounding drums as vocals come and go. Carla from SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM sings on here. "House Of Dowse" is hit and miss for me with those quickly strummed guitars, fast paced vocals and such. I like it better when it slows down after 3 minutes. "Caboose" is incredible after 2 minutes when the vocals step aside. So inventive sounding.

This was voted 9th best album for 2018 by the collaborators here.

Incredible prog record from Chicago masters Cheer-Accident. By turns sweet and others HEAVY. Excellent use of dynamics throughout.

The title track is their masterpiece and Graphic Depression is not far behind it. The "proggiest" section of the title track features this drunken pirate lurching riff which goes into one of my favorite drum riffs, referenced in my review title. They add layer after layer, making the listener feel like they've moved on, before it keeps coming back out of nowhere.

Astonishingly good drumming throughout this thing. As a totality, there is a sense of incompleteness which I think is in fact exactly as it should be. A criminally underrated band.

I have no idea why this thing isn't rated higher on this site. In my opinion, it is the best Cheer-Accident release.

What we have here is a band who totally refuses to conform to anyone's idea of what music should be like and create something which is catchy and poppy while also being RIO and quite challenging. They mix instruments which should never be played at the same time, with strange time signatures and clear vocals to create something which takes tips from the likes of Zappa, Residents, Art Zoyd, Henry Cow and Wire yet is always very much their own. The band describe it as "Harmony and dissonance, love and hate, oboes and drums... they all help to form this delicious and strange bedfellowship.". This is all about accepting them on their own terms, as if the listener is prepared to do that then they will be richly rewarded as the band move in and out of rocky pop numbers with incredible hooks which just don't sound like what anyone would expect. It is incredibly melodic, in a RIO way, with vocals which have pleasant melodies and one can only wonder what is going in their heads when they conjure up majesty like this.

I love the story of one lat 90's show when the band used a pre-recorded tape to segue from their song "Small World" into a hellish multitracked version of the Disney tune "It's a Small World (After All)" (personally I think the song in its original form is hellish, as anyone who has taken their children on the ride will attest to) and during playback they simply left the stage and took seats at the bar. This is complex, complicated music with wonderful harmonies and hooks, and anyone who enjoys their music to be a little (ok, a lot) out of centre will find a great deal here to enjoy.

Its strange things like this that entice me to listen to their new album. And there should be a law that says you must listen to a band that has twenty albums under their belt. So, I'm going to get a jump on that law (soon to be passed somewhere I would think) and take a chance on 'Chicago XX'. Interestingly enough, the LP version of the album was released in 2019, but the digital and CD versions were released in February of 2020. There are 8 tracks and the run time is just below 40 minutes.

Right off the bat, 'Intimacy' will clue you in to the fact that this band sound nothing like the band called 'Chicago'. Yeah, there is some brass in there, what sounds like the dissonance blasting of a thousand oboes will quickly squash your hopes of hearing an imitation of that band. The only other instruments you'll notice here is a guitar, a persistent drum and some vocals. It sounds more like a busy intersection than it sounds intimate. 'Like Something to Resemble' has more of a commercial sound with less dissonance. There is a distinct and engaging beat with a guitar strumming on the back beat, some nice synth layers and good vocals. The synths start to add in brass effects and you almost detect a bit of the Chicago sound during the instrumental break, but the nice and almost retro sound is a definite class of its own. The vocals are shared evenly between Carmen Armillas and Thymme Jones making a nice sunshiny sound that just sits a bit left of center to normal.

'Diatoms' gets a bit more daring and avant sounding with a downpour of synths, and moves from an almost commercial sound to a complete wash-out of high pitched notes on the synth, and the real avant sound takes over again. The sound is a nice, clear almost art-poppy sound, but always swings way out into left field. 'Life Rings Hollow' features Greg Beemster on vocals on a song with a great beat and bass riff while his Bowie-like singing keeps things going with an alternative flair. Todd Rittmann adds what is credited as an ersatz mellotron. It's just off enough to almost make your hair stand on end, but it works.

'I Don't Believe' is the longest track at 7:37. Carmen Armillas comes back with vocals this time but is backed up by Thymme Jones and Jeff Libersher. It starts with a brass fanfare, real brass this time, and they contradict each other with a cheery dissonance which is made darker with an electric guitar moving along with the fanfare melody. A beat finally takes hold when the fanfare ends. Dark vocals finally come in after a while and the track has a very unsettling feel to it. The addition of the viola at 5 minutes only intensifies that feeling. The guitars get heavier as it continues and start stirring things up to a climactic ending. 'Plea Bargain' has a solid guitar and beat. Thymme's vocals seem to follow a meter not connected to the music, and then things suddenly kick into a faster and more direct speed when the wild keys come in. Meters and tempos continue to shift and some very interesting guitar starts to squawk along dissonantly to it all. A trumpet comes in echoing the vocal melody towards the end, but everything is just off kilter enough to satisfy your avant urges.

'Things' begins with a softly rolling guitar and multi-layered trumpets playing contrasting lines. Carmen begins to sing and the lack of percussion actually gives the track a tense and dark feeling. It's quite nice in a strange way, again far from typical. About half way though, there is a sudden outburst from the guitars and everything gets even darker while the guitars churn along with a cello (ersatz cello?). The trumpets begin to blare along with it as it all intensifies to a rousing finish. It all concludes with 'Slowly for Awhile' which features a slow beating rhythm and dissonant stings that could either be a harp or a glockenspiel. The moog sounds harsh and sinister and Thymme brings in his vocals, eking out a melody in all of the darkness generating by the contrasting instruments. The singers brings in a small off-center choral harmony in a few parts and at times these get layered into eerie harmonics. There is also a multi-layered array of flutes that come in to finish it all off very suddenly.

Though I love the odd and daring use of dissonance in this quasi-pop sound, it lacks just a bit in emotion, though there are times when it does come out. Some may find this makes things just a bit starchy. However, the album is still enjoyable and there are some really great moments of innovative songwriting and musicianship throughout the entirety of the album. Is it accessible? Well, kind of, but it is also very quirky and full of things that might not sit well with many people, and that is the reason why I really like this album, and the band for that matter. I can easily give this a four star mostly because of the ingenuity and the avant feel of it all. I would really like to give it 5 stars, but I think it just misses that mark, however, with more listens, that could change. Either way, it is worth checking out especially if you love your music on the innovative side. At least it is better than the other 'Chicago XX' album that came out several years ago. Thanks to Nogbad_The_Bad for bringing this album to my attention.

1. "Language Is" (11:24) Piano and male voice with some bassa nd drums in the chorus sections over the first four minutes, this alone is but at 3:40 there occurs a quite aggressive bursting forth of an entire Broadway/"West Side Story"-like full-band support--which turns into a rackus instrumental section, which then morphs into an almost meditative SAMUEL BARBER-like section before slide guitar, drums, bouncy piano, and horns take over in a neat jazzy-CHICAGO-like sound. Very engaging. Love the polyrhythmic weaves of the rhythm section. Staccato hits of the horns and moog take the lead over the piano and drums until piano is replaced by electric guitar chords and the horns by radio/television static--which persists into what sounds like garbled, mangled tapes. Great song! (9/10)

2. "Immanence" (4:12) opens with a piano-led rhythm and melody similar to an early BILLY JOEL song, only repeated in an almost minimalist way. Sung start to finish by a female vocalist (Carmen Armillas?) who just happens to have one of those nearly perfect, warm yet crystal-clear voices like Heather FINDLAY (MOSTLY AUTUMN, MANTRA VEGA, solo), this song sucks one in from the first note and never lets you go. It even gets one laughing (if you listen to the words). A tough song to get out of your head once you've heard it. Awesome. (9.5/10)

3. "Wishful Breathing" (3:45) opens as a jazzy little instrumental, drums bass and intentionally cheesy organ. A John Lennon "Tomorrow Never Knows"-like vocal enters for a bit before leaving the instrumentalists to go wanky into some other dimension--until the 2:45 guitar strum tries to set us back on the path of origin. Brilliant! (9.5/10)

4. "Falling World" (3:40) another song that seems to (inadvertently?) conjure up associations to THHE BEATLES' psychedelic music, as well as experimental funk bass player BILL LASWELL (8.5/10)

5. "More And Less" (3:00) I'm reminded here of Bill Laswell and Kip Hanrahan (with a little ARTO LINDSAY on voice!) during their Pangaea Records era. AWESOME work Thymme! (10/10)

6. "Lifetime Guarantee" (6:59) A little Robert Wyatt, people? That's how it opens. As it unfolds it morphs into a kind of 1960s flower child song. Then at 4:!5 it turns more into CARDIACS/ECHOLYN/Lewis Carroll mania. (9/10)

7. "Hymn" (5:11) has a BOWIE and early BRIAN ENO feel to it, lilting along almost like a children's song--as do so many of the songs here. Truly remarkable! Simple yet quirky and unpredictable. What a song to end the album-- with its brainworm melody. Even the psychedelic boat ride with Willy Wonka in the first half of the fourth minute can't suppress the joy, happiness, and elation that this song promotes. (10/10)

Total Time 38:11

I also hear so many influences from leading edge/experimental 1970s soul/R&B artists like James, Al Green, and War.

Five stars; a true masterpiece of what I consider to be truly progressive rock music. Amazing, beautiful, and so engaging and uplifting! My new favorite album of the year!