I can’t remember the first time I heard this band. It was a few years ago now, probably through Hate Something Beautiful. At any rate, I downloaded their track Luckie St. I was attracted to its catchiness right off the bat. Will Pugh’s vocals were a big part of it. Yet, after consecutive listens I was drawn further in – there seemed to a hidden depth. It soon became one of my favourite songs. This lead to purchasing their major label debut: Chroma.
It was a wise choice. On the surface, the disc might seem a bit light-hearted in all its pop-punkiness but there was enough musical complexity and diversity to keep me coming back. Following this album, I hadn’t put much thought into this great band. However, on a recent trip to the record store, I noticed their newest self-titled effort and bought it on a whim. Usually, I don’t buy albums without having some kind of inkling what it sounds like – but I was pressed for time and I had a strong hunch I wouldn’t be let down.
Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. This self-titled disc follows closely behind its predecessor – with much of Will’s signature vocals and pop-punk spirit. Still, there is generally a feeling of growth and maturity as well as a flavour of experimentation. Their first single, Lose It, shows one side of the album – more of Will’s gorgeous singing and romantic sensibilities but the album has certainly more to offer as well…
This starts with Wasted’s social commentary and I Will Hide Myself Away and If I Were To Write This Song’s electronic-tinged epics. Truth be told, I’d say Cartel borrowed a page out of Placebo’s book on the aforementioned tracks…but that’s not to say they come out beautifully. The remix of Wasted at the end of the disc with Wyclef Jean absolutely rocks. In fact, I like it much better than the original. I have no idea how that collaboration came about but it sounds fantastic.
Upon doing a bit of research on the album, I came across something interesting. Apparently, the band was put under house arrest as part of special MTV program called Band in a Bubble to record this self-titled release. They were forced to live inside the bubble for 20 days without being able to leave. In addition, the band was watched constantly by fans through 23 webcams placed all through the bubble. Kind of a bizarre concept if you ask me – but it produced results. This self-titled sophomore record is chock full of quality material.
Cartel on MySpace
Cartel on PureVolume
