The trick to borrowing from a beloved and well-worn earlier music scene is to make it fresh enough that your listeners aren’t immediately pining for the oldies. London-based Cheatahs, which draws heavily from My Bloody Valentine and other staples of the late ’80s and early ’90s alternative scene, pulls it off on the band’s self-titled debut. While MBV and Swervedriver are the obvious references here, Cheatahs’ DNA also includes Dinosaur Jr. and even a little Nirvana (on standout track Get Tight).
Previously released song The Swan is my favorite from the album. (Listen to The Swan on the video above.) My other favorite tracks include Kenworth and Cut the Grass. The rest of the songs are consistently good. The new album is out Monday in the U.K. and Tuesday in the U.S.
All the Young Punks 