Cold Cave:Cherish The Light Years

8.4/10 dropps

Every day I think about how great it would be if Ian Curtis were still alive. I’d have more Joy Division records to listen to and I’d be able to get excited for any upcoming projects he would be working on. Sadly, Mr. Curtis took his life and that’s the end of that. So it goes. All hope isn’t lost for the post-punk genre the late Ian Curtis helped construct and define. Enter Cold Cave from New York City. Their debut album “Love Comes Close” was a brutally painful, dark and depressing journey through layered synths, explosive drum machines, and haunting lyrics. It certainly put the band on the map and became one of my favorite records of 2009. The band kept quiet for a while, but they have triumphantly returned with their sophomore effort “Cherish The Light Years,” a record that takes everything the band has previously done and force fed it with dynamite and cocaine.

Cold Cave is fronted by none other than Wesley Eisold, who was a prominent figure in the hardcore music scene and fronted the legendary band Give Up The Ghost, as well as Some Girls and XO Skeletons. With his current project, Eisold threw away his hardcore aesthetic and decided to venture into a distinct brand of post-punk infused electronic music. “Cherish The Light Years” is truly a testament to the sounds of the 80’s, but in a way that is absolutely captivating and rewarding. The opening track, “The Great Pan Is Dead” is explosive, replete with heavily layered synthesizers and keyboards accompanied by rapid fire hi-hats and snare hits. It’s an incredibly uplifting song and reveals that perhaps Eisold decided to incorporate some of his punk sensibilities into “Cherish The Light Years.” The new record seems more alive than the band’s debut, tossing their dreary and dark soundscapes out the window. “Pacing Through The Church” is a song that beckons me to get out of my chair and dance alone in my room without shame simply because it’s so much fun. Eisold truly sounds like a modern day Ian Curtis, singing to us in a deep, tortured moan (although perhaps not as deep as Curtis) that melds perfectly with the blaring intensity of the backing tracks.

If you don’t have visions of the 1980’s, smoke machines and cheesy videos when “Confetti” kicks in there must surely be something wrong with your head. The song lures you in with blissful synths and a delayed guitar riff that culminates into what can only be described as an 80’s dance hit. A lot of people label the 80’s as an era full of cheesy music and lame people, but Cold Cave recreates the sensation in a truly modern way. It’s fascinating how successful this band would have been had they existed 30 years ago. “Cherish The Light Years” still manages to retain some of the manic-depressive characteristics of the band’s debut however. “Underworld USA” is a brooding, sensual song carried by an ominously dark beat that is both infectious and entrancing. When Eisold sings “I’ll carry your cross now baby, it’s a blasphemous world today” during the chorus it’s an absolutely sublime moment. The lyrical content of the record is at times extremely emotional, concisely putting into words what we can only feel. They can sometimes become trite or mundane, but it’s something that can be forgiven.

Overall, Cold Cave has returned with an amazing sophomore effort. The band takes everything they accomplished on “Love Comes Close,” polished it, and added a ferocity that goes hand in hand with their dark and brooding façade. They certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel in between albums, but they improved their sound and you can hear a vivid confidence in their songs that was sometimes lacking in their previous effort.

-Wilson De Gouveia