Little Cub
Still Life
Reviewed By: Lauren Rosier
The UK has had an extensive run of some incredibly talented bands and solo artists in the history of music and the South London three-piece, Little Cub, is no exception. The trio’s debut LP, Still Life (Domino Recording Co), is a stellar collection of indie rock featuring various relevant themes illustrated by colorful synths and electronic production.
On Still Life, Dominic Gore, Duncan Tootill, and Ady Acolatse, explore themes like politics on “Hypnotise”, love and relationships on the band’s first single, “Loveless”, and mourning on the track, “Snow”, about Gore’s loss of his mother.
The opening track, “Too Much Love”, is composed of stylish beats and pulsating synths layered with lyrics that are loosely based on the Oscar Wilde quote: ‘I represent all the sins you will never have the courage to commit.’ The track illustrates the theme of men who show off flaws like insensitivity as boastfulness and the inability to commit as a personal issue deserving sympathy rather an egotistical lifestyle choice.
“I always thought I could take as I wanted /they always used to call me their’ beautiful boy /but whilst I took my fill from all that I fancied /those I fancied I would seek to destroy/just a shagger not a lover of consequence/the kind of lover that just loves to be free/’cause baby I put the con in confidence/and what you’re offering has no value to me…”
“My Nature”, a track that’s perfect for nocturnal listening as well as the record’s most club-ready song, it immediately hits you with a one-two punch of heavy electronic beats and pulsating synths. You wouldn’t guess from the track’s instrumentation that the song’s theme is politics; however, if you listen closely, the track unravels and reveals its complexity as you hear Gore sing “your pleasure is paid for by another heart.” The track “Mulberry” is also a great song for nocturnal listening featuring a haunting vibe with Gore’s voice dropping to a deeply intimate murmur as he sings “deep grooves that could hide all manner of things.”
Perhaps the strongest track on the record is “Hypnotise”, a track in which Gore’s lyricism illustrates an honest view on politics layered over top a looped, marching drum roll. The song paints a picture of the desire to protest issues that are in dire need of protesting, but not having a clue where to begin.
The band’s first single, “Loveless,” talks about a relationship that Acolatse had been in and both partners could see that the relationship was quickly coming to a point where they each were losing themselves just by being with each other. The chorus ponders “did we really lose our hearts?”
Whether you’re a musician or a music fan,you have to appreciate the band’s ability to create illustrative lyricism that paints a picture of the narrator’s experience in addition to arranging and writing music that suits the song’s vibe. The themes explored on the record are apropos and written and arranged so naturally that it doesn’t even seem like a debut.
Rating: Bad-Ass
