by Jare C (@jareccurtis)
The past decade or so has been an exciting time to be an indie rock fan. An appreciation for genre variation has brought a myriad of new sounds to the scene, probably most notably the deeply felt fuzz of groove-driven rock and airy, sugary bedroom pop. On Chicago-based, Rochester transplant Cusp’s latest record, You Can Do It All, there is a firm embrace of both of these sonic ideas, coupled with a wide moodscape of early-to-mid-twenties anxiety, self discovery, and an early sense of loss.
For a debut record, You Can Do It All demonstrates tremendous balance. For every dense and gritty riff, there is a bouncy pop vocal melody, with a focus on blending basement-jam sounds, catchy verses, and choruses. In lyrical content, the band spirals through all of the hallmarks of young adult life. The end and beginning of relationships, life changing in previously unexpected ways, the juggling of responsibilities. Through each swing and turning tide of life, there is an equally measured line of keys, guitar riffs, and thundering cymbal ridden drum passages For Cusp, the key in balancing a song is finding the equilibrium between a thematic idea, and establishing a sonic through-line for that idea. The winding circumference of “You Can’t Do It All” is a moody ode to bouncing around from one obligation to another, setting the stage of a sea of wading responsibility. The forward momentum of “Dead Things Talk” resembles the tumbling nature of time passing, with people, places, and experiences fading into memories that inform future choices. Each track on the record creates a connection of this variety, weaving a rich tapestry of music informed from experience.
Throughout the album, Cusp presents a painting of adjusting to newness, in an especially relatable way. Most folks who currently are in, or have been in their twenties, can absolutely relate to the feeling that life is moving too fast to find footing, as well as out of nowhere feeling very long. Few things feel as strange as suddenly realizing that you now have a past. Through the ups and downs of You Can Do It All, there is an ever-increasing atmosphere of floating through time, only to suddenly be slammed up against it (the very end of “It’s Not My Job” into the gravely beginning of “What Does It Mean” is a fantastic example). As a band, Cusp has aimed their sights on a very specific vision of their sound, aesthetic, and approach, and has keyed on that with remarkable passion. It will be a definite thrill to see what comes for them next.