Cute Is What We Aim For

Can pop punk be mature? Well, Cute is What We Aim For make a good case for the genre's maturity on Rotation. In fact, the Buffalo, NY quartet have crafted a record packed with tight, catchy emo diddies about everything from drinking to relationships—minus the songs about prank calls and aliens that once made Blink 182 the genre's elite. In fact, CIWWAF provide the MySpace kiddies with an album that's far more than just filler for Hot Topic's in-store playlist. Kicking things off with the first single, "Practice Makes Perfect," the band show a musical progression from their debut, combining strange tonal textures with the catchy chord melodies that made them a success. "Doctor" has a hook that reaches Fall Out Boy-style heights of sardonic infectiousness, while "Loser" possesses a rhythmic shake and swagger. They've become emo's resident thinkers, on this record.

The album's standout is the dissection of Los Angeles, "Hollywood." CCIWWAF tear apart the industry's emphasis on singles with a pained melody that resonates, and it will appeal to far more than just the kids. Later on, the band amps up the anger to 10 on "Miss Sobriety," and the closing track "Time" functions as a letter to the Earth. CCIWAF have certainly evolved successfully, and even though they're still young, they've grown up immensely, both lyrically and musically. Hopefully, the genre and industry can follow suit.

—Rick Florino
06.25.08