Song of the Week: Yuck - "Middle Sea"

Rating: 6.7/10

Last week I mentioned how much I loved Yuck's newest single, "Middle Sea." Not wanting it to be forgotten in the shadow of the new Cults song, I decided to give it a proper review this week. The track is the second from the band since the departure of lead singer Daniel Blumberg last April, and is the strongest of the two. Yuck's signature throwback '90's sound still remains, guitarist-turned-lead-singer Max Bloom proves himself an apt replacement, and the production pushes the gushing, distorted guitars to the forefront. In fact, Yuck has always been a guitar-driven group, and it has never been more apparent than on "Middle Sea." The lyrics are somewhat repetitive, but Bloom delivers them in a way that sounds sincere when it could easily be interpreted as whiny. Comparisons to groups like Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, and other semi-shoegaze groups of the 1990's will always be attached to Yuck, but fittingly so. A horn section makes a pleasantly surprising appearance during the bridge while drummer Jonny Rogoff adds emphasis at just the right moments. If the rest of Yuck's upcoming Glow and Behold, out September 30th, sounds like this, we'll be in for a real treat. Listen to the song below.