Yu(c)k – Weakend EP

Damn. Just WHEN did Yuck become this good? Parenthesising the c in their name for this one-off (and highly limited) release through boutique cassette label Mirror Universe Tapes, the Weakend EP sees the band focus on a low-fi, stripped-down sound that confirms them as one of the most exciting bands around right now.

While an eschewing of the fuzz guitar sound that’s seen them rise to become a respected staple of the live music scene in the last six months might be a worry to some, fear not. The Weakend EP sees a consistency in terms of the qualitative with Daniel Blumberg’s whisper of a vocal pitched against an achingly haunting piano on four beautiful minamalist tracks.

I played the songs that make up the EP once through and my jaw dropped. Then I played them again and again – maybe ten, fifteen times over an evening. Everytime someone new entered the room, on they went, to similar acclaim.

The profundity of the Weakend EP lies in its showcasing the potential of the band; Yu(c)k/Yuck have talent and a necessary awareness of the solidity and depth that compells a song to connect to the emotional nerve endings. It’s a rare commodity that – when wielded correctly – pays dividends for both listener and band.

Thus, the sound of the record – ahem, the tape – lingers in the memory way beyond the confines of the record. “Daughter” and “Automatic” stand out, bookending the EP, bathed in melancholy, tender piano and Blumberg’s gestural vocal.

Oh and the cassette is now long sold out but you can download the Weakend EP via Yuck’s blog.