Countless methods of sealing the deal at the end of the day have been created throughout human history with repeated success seeing the global population hit seven billion folks last year. Few lately, though, have gone about it in this town the way indie-tronica dance-pop duo, Cherub, have by creating their debut LP, Man of the Hour, released out of Elm and Oak Records late last September. This inaugural effort is sure to keep them and their listeners in the mood by simply reminding them it’s good to be young. They do this by getting down to some sweet dance music that has a continuous flow of aphrodisia from all eight tracks the only way an album sounding like Justin Timberlake, MGMT, Phil Collins and a MIDI keyboard had their love-child in a DJ booth can. Kudos to Cherub’s Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber for releasing such a fresh sound into Murfreesboro. It’s been so long since someone has concieved an album with the sole intent of capturing a great-sounding live club record for everyone to get down to.
Setting a standard lyrically, the opening track from Man of the Hour is a beautifully soothing short and sweet piano ditty, “My Time,” with contradictory verses pining for company in a haze of self-medication. Track 2, though, “Love You Right,” sets the standard musically as the MGMT and Phil Collins comparisons come into play. The sound is highly synthesized with everything from electronic keys to the drum machine, upper register vocals echoing off into the distance and little guitar licks layered atop one another in such a way that takes you right back to the warehouse dance party that inhibitions weren’t invited to during the college years. The subject matter of being young, getting high and rubbing bodies together remains prevalent across Man of the Hour through songs such as “Minez Yourz (My Body)” that strangely has a shout out to Kelley’s and Huber’s families in the middle of the song, all the way through only song containing real drums, “Disco Inferno,” to “Dirty Cockroaches,” which has hints of Aphex Twin in the industrial latter half of the song. The title track is saved for the end, though, bringing the album back home with another gentle piano rhythm.
Cherub isn’t wasting any time for round two, either, as tickets have gone on sale recently for a Feb. 11 release party at Mercy Lounge for their second album, Mom and Dad. Tickets can be found through the venue’s website. For other upcoming show information and links to download Man of the Hour, visit www.facebook.com/cherublamusica.
