The so called sophomore slump is a predicament in which many bands have found themselves. The pressure to live up to a promising debut album is doubly so when said band has had to deal with a radical overhaul, as London indie rockers Yuck did for their latest, Glow and Behold. After the departure of former frontman Daniel Blumberg, guitarist Max Bloom was left to take over the role. With this move, the band ran the risk that the new incarnation of the band wouldn’t match their previous heights, but Bloom and his bandmates seem up for the challenge and based on the evidence from Friday’s show at The Garrison, they’ve acquitted themselves quite well.
Even with a bit of an overhaul in the band’s lineup, Yuck’s MO is pretty much unchanged – their sound still hearkens back to the big fuzzy sounds of ’90’s indie rock. Yuck has always been a bit of a spot the influence band, with their songs evoking the likes of Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr, Superchunk and many others from that era to varying extents. One song, “Rebirth,” even had a riff which, just for a second, reminded me slightly of The New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” if it was slowed down and put through some kind of My Bloody Valentine filter. Maybe that’s just me though.
They’re not just about ’90s influences though. The band payed tribute to the ’80s as well with a nice cover of New Order’s “Age Of Consent, ” which had some of the fans upfront singing along, although I’d hazard a guess that at least a few of those in attendance may have heard Yuck’s version first.
Overall, it was an enjoyable performance with Yuck proving that there is life after the departure of a frontman.