Cheef

This double package is comprised of two relatively short discs that could easily have been combined onto a single. But since Athens, GA's Nutria, aka multi-instrumentalists Bob Spires and Jay Gonzalez, brought along a different rhythm section for both sessions included in this set, it probably seemed more logical to divide the songs onto a pair of platters. Despite this willful separation, the sound is similar enough that these 22 tracks could have been pruned down to a tight, hour-long disc without listeners being alarmed. Regardless, Nutria has a firm grasp of the indie pop genre, and both albums are crammed with hooky, sharply written songs whose charms are immediately accessible. It's a tough, riff filled collection, often reminiscent of Cheap Trick especially on Cheef's opening "Under the Clay." A strong Beatles undercurrent, particularly noticeable in the vocal harmonies and arrangements, adds further pop elements. A delightfully raw D.I.Y. garage sensibility is never far from the surface in the snappiest rockers. The songs are co-credited to the entire band, not just Spires and Gonzalez, who are the only two that appear on all tracks. Neither have especially distinctive voices, but they put across the material with enough spunk and energy to overlook any vocal deficiencies. Lyrically there is far more complexity than is apparent in most indie pop. "Anita" concerns a woman into S&M, a realization most listeners might not catch on the first few spins since the chorus of "Hey Anita, what do you bleed for?" is so impossibly catchy. "Sunlight" could be an outtake from Beatles for Sale, especially with its Lennon-ish vocals. Like the best pop/rock, these tunes grow on you, and the rather crude approach works to the band's advantage by providing an edgy sound nicely offsetting the sweet and sour melodies. Despite cheap, near shoddy packaging that gives little to no personnel information in addition to looking embarrassingly disposable, this is a gem of a release that any fan of the band's genre would consider a major find.