Wussy / Buckeye

Wussy
Buckeye
(Damnably)
*****
You'd be forgiven for concluding that Wussy’s press release has a touch of the hyperbolic to it. Statements describing them as both “truly classic” and the “best band in America” are among the quotes. Going in blind, you’d assume there’s no way any of this could possibly be true – yet there's every chance they're actually underselling the band. (We’ve got a hyperbole double agent on our hands! – Ed)

The first official international release from the Cincinnati four-piece, ‘Buckeye’ collects material from the four albums Wussy released between 2005 and this year. From the first song – an early R.E.M. recalling 'Maglite' – there's hardly any let up in the quality. The first nine of the seventeen songs on offer here are actually flawless: memorable tracks seem to come by the bucketload, and after the first play of each you could easily be convinced that they've been with you forever. Although 'Airborne' is a personal favourite you could stick a pin anywhere in the tracklist and find a classic.

Both singer-songwriter-guitarists Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker are experts at their craft and their amalgamation of Velvet Underground drones, fuzzy college rock, indiepop and alt country is simply sublime.
Lee White