Cherie Amour – Spiritual Ascension LP (Equal Vision)

Here are some neat pop-punk sounds for your listening pleasure. This time, I am delving deep into the most recent full-length release by Cherie Amour, a Baltimore-based quartet known for quite a specific sound. Their version of pop-punk music unquestionably differs from other bands that currently roam the scene. Since last year, these guys released an impressive amount of singles, such as Burn, Orlando, A Beautiful Mess, A Perfect Disaster, Sin City, Love’s Not Your Thing, Letting Go, and Losing Control. Some of these tracks found their place on Internal Discussions EP, alongside songs such as Imposter and 2NICE2SAY. Therefore, it’s safe to say Spiritual Ascension is their debut full-length album, recently released by Equal Vision.

Spiritual Ascension carries eleven compositions, and you probably heard some of these in form of standalone singles. For those stumbling upon this band for the first time, Cherie Amour embraces nu-punk as a term that explains their sound. This genre perhaps comes close to contemporary pop-punk, but it also differs from those aesthetics in many ways. You’ll notice some of the finest properties of emo, indie, post-hardcore, melodic punk rock, and other complementary music genres lurking around in the mix. However, there’s even more. Cherie Amour also share some similarities with bands who shaped the alternative metal and nu-metal scene during the mid and late nineties. They delve deep into those aesthetics by implementing a more modern approach so they don’t sound repetitious by any means. You’ll also notice some sonic maneuvers that might indicate their profound love for hip-hop, indie pop, modern pop, electronic music, etc.

Some readers might think it is way too many music genres involved in the entire process, but trust me, these guys know what they’re doing. It may sound too modern to some listeners, but their sound is so detailed and complex, and it includes layers of various polyphonic maneuvers, themes, melodies, harmonies, riffs, chord progressions, ambiances, synth leads, beats, and many other sonic delicacies that define some of the best contemporary pop-punk albums. Spiritual Ascension doesn’t sound like another classic pop-punk album, and these guys put a lot of effort into these songs. They strayed from classic, predictable, repetitious orchestrations because they wanted to improve and offer something fresh and unique to the pop-punk crowd. They succeeded in my book. This release is available at Equal Vision web store.