If you’re unfamiliar with the story of Cold Cave, I’ll summarize it for you. Wesley Eisold, longtime stalwart of the Chicago hardcore scene in bands such as Some Girls and American Nightmare, realized one day that some of Fall Out Boy’s lyrics were quite similar to his. He then decided to sue his acquaintance Pete Wentz, which resulted in a writing credit on Fall Out Boy’s most popular albums and also, more importantly, a hefty out of court settlement. Eisold decided to use this to invest in a bunch of vintage synthesizers and form the synth-pop band he always wanted to be in. The first fruits of this project, named Cold Cave, were assorted EPs and 2009’s debut album, Love Comes Close. Since then, Cold Cave have been touring as a three-piece and acquiring new influences for this, their sophomore album, Cherish The Light Years. The first thing you notice is how much bigger everything sounds on this album. Whereas on Love the electronics were more minimalist and often devolved into experimental noise, Cherish sounds like a huge synth-pop album straight out of the 80’s, even though it is still dark. Live drums, guitar, and bass are everywhere, and Eisold’s vocals are stronger than ever before. He used to sing like Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, but now he sounds more like The Cure’s Robert Smith. Some songs even come close to Killers/Bravery territory. So, a much poppier album, and while not necessarily better than Love Comes Close, it is still extremely strong and a nice listen.
-Scott Kendall
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