EP Review: Cherym - 'Hey Tori'
Cherym put out their EP, Hey Tori via Alcopop records earlier this month and I’ve been hooked since first hearing opener, Listening to my Head. It’s got outright pop punk anthem potential. Sublime melodies sit atop attitude-ridden guitars, there's even a great little solo in there to top it all off and kick things off with power.
Kisses on my Cards is an upbeat track, lyrically delving into themes of potentially awkward, ultimately sweet bisexuality. This one of the tracks that highlights what I love about the production on this EP. The layering guitars in the bridge, the rising backing vocal snippets and just all the textures being brought together. We're Just Friends keeps up the strong production form while being emphatically anthemic. The sort of song you could shout every word back live.
Getting to the penultimate track of the EP and on a release with so many strong choruses it's hard to put one above the rest. Gone Girl might just win out for me. There's a righteous fury to the delivery that sells every word. The flip between the verses and choruses gives it even more impact. A head banger for sure!
She's Enough Going On brings the EP to a close and a strong close at that! Big riffs, whirling synths and a great little bassline through the verses are some of the immediate draws for this song but it’s got an incredible energy throughout it’s runtime.
Hey Tori definitely sits at an intersection of the band’s influences. The indie rock base of Pixies, distortion of the Smashing Pumpkins, the punk edge of Bikini Kill, the modern pop punk melodies of PUP. It’s all there but it’s not borrowed, instead it’s woven into the band's own sound in a really interesting way. If you’re a fan of any of those bands then I recommend you check out Hey Tori!
Words by Nathan Blackstone