I wrote a pretty long diatribe about the Georgia-based band Cartel’s first album Chroma (and my feelings on pop-punk in general) here, and will admit freely to liking that album and its well-played and catchy-as-hell radio-friendly pop-punk. It is a solid and sunny album that is perfect for the current onslaught of sun and 75 degree days here is Chicago. Sure, nobody mistook the band for being innovators, but if you were listening (at all) you weren’t expecting that.
Then the band went into a bubble (literally) for 20 days last year and came out with a new self-titled record. This one (like its predecessor) starts off strong. “Tonight,” “Lose It,” “No Subject (Come With Me),” and “This Is Who We Are,” are pretty generic and predictable, but not a bad way to start the album. Unfortunately, things quickly take a turn for the worse. I could go through almost each and every song (tracks 6 to 15) and point out all the specific little things, but all the songs seem to lack the energy and immediacy that the album starts off with. It is just plain boring. Instead of being at the top of the mainstream pop-punk heap, Cartel seems to be just fine with churning out mediocre (at best) indie-pop. From the first few songs on Cartel, it is evident that Cartel is still capable of that but have opted for something mid-tempo drivel instead. My question is why?
Why do bands that are quite adept at one thing (in this case, pop-punk) seem to so often feel the need to write more “mature” music or “expand” their sound? IMHO, it is rarely a good idea and bands generally don’t succeed. U2 was able to drastically change their sound and still be successful as was Radiohead, but they are two of the biggest and most well-respected bands in the world. Cartel isn’t quite there yet. I understand that some progression and boundary pushing is natural for a band, but why abandon what works? Chroma and the first few songs on Cartel are at least enjoyable, but by the end of this album it is pretty obvious that the band’s music has lost what few redeeming qualities it had.
MP3 | Cartel – Lose It Cartel
MP3 | Cartel – Tonight Cartel
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This being the first post, I can understand the reluctance of anyone in the indie realm wanting to comment on this album, or the band for that matter. But, the fact still remains that Chroma was an excellent album (and it was indie until Epic re-released it). Considering that this follow-up album was conceived in three weeks, I am not shocked by it’s letdown past the halfway point. The prevailing need to “expand” on an album is taken too liberally by most bands, and Cartel is no exception. Clearly, they start out using their strengths and it sounds like Chroma #2 to some degree. Then, as if there was some conscious effort to say “we are more than that”, the album takes a dive and alienates what made them likeable. I could not agree more with this review.