"Trying to forget what’s in the past" (Yuck - Stranger Things)

why you'll love it: groovy slo-mo retro rock
why you'll hate it - derivative, middling to poor lyrics

Welcome to your annual check up on 20-ish years ago!  Last year, Bully took us back to the 90s with their debut, Feels Like.  This year, it's Yuck carrying the banner.  Yuck's style is a bit more sloopy shoegaze, less power-pop.  The comparisons to Dinosaur Jr. are true as math.  Max Bloom even has a J Mascis slur to his delivery on slower songs like "Hold Me Closer"

Oh yeah, let's talk about Max Bloom a bit.  Yuck had a well recived debut in 2011, followed by the singer leaving the group.  This is usally a kiss of death for most bands.  The lineup change left a mark, because all I read about from fans is how this band has fallen off a cliff with the loss of their original singer.  Stranger Things has been generally regarded as a good* release
(*but not as good as it should have been!)
Here is the funny thing, the promotions of Stranger Things has been my first exposure to Yuck, and I think it all sounds A-OK.  I even went back recently to hear this debut everyone is so wistful for, and honestly, it didn't grab me as much as this album.  I think they have an improved sound now, and the songwriting/vocals don't strike me as any worse now than they were.  The only gripe against Max Bloom I can muster is that on a couple songs ("I'm OK" especially) he sounds like Dave Grohl.  I'm not saying that sounds bad, but it's odd enough to distract me from an otherwise pretty good song.

Theories of "What you're first exposed to is what you like the most" aside, here's what's on the album - a lot of distorted guitars played at melodic pace.  "Hearts in Motion" and "Yr Face" generate some wonderfully powerful Built To Spill influenced reverberating chords.  The songwriting is probably the albums biggest downfall.  "Hold Me Closer" goes for that "Tiny Dancer" reference a bit too hard to be taken seriously.  The lyrics to "Stranger Things" is either the most dry satire I've ever heard, or sopping with enough angst to make Good Charlotte roll their eyes.  For the most part though, the music is good enough to carry where the songwriting can't get to on its own, especially on the last few tracks.

Stranger Things stands on its own even if you aren't stuck out of time, although being a big fan of the genre certainly helps.  Despite how scorned some fans may feel, it's an entirely competent and well performed release.  The riffs are creative, and they make 4+ minute songs sail right on by.  These songs are essentially from the "shoegaze bummer rock" genre, and they somehow adjust it all into a good time on Stranger Things.