New Artist Alert: Charlie Played Cello

It's been a while as Staind once sang, but I've found a little time between two great holidays (Poland and Tunisia if you're interested) and moving house next weekend to have a listen to LA's Charlie Played Cello, who have just recently released their album 'Red'. The band's name is a nod to a friend of the band who sadly died in a road accident on the way home from one of the band's shows, and his cello playing is featured on the album.

Charlie Played Cello describe themselves as having a "unique and dynamic sound that spans from mainstream power-pop to sinister post-punk anthems, in the spirit of Weezer and Jimmy Eat World". Offering the opportunity of a reminiscent throw-back to my tender teenage, Kerrang TV-watching days, I was tempted to check out CPC and, sure enough, the hints of these iconic guitar bands are evident in Red.


'Memories Collide' packs a minor-feeling, garage-band punch with a unique vocal sound and throbbing organ poking through the mix. I feel the vocals might be a little 'marmite' for some listeners but the track plods along with help from the drum pattern as the snare hits stab on every crotchet beat throughout the verses. It builds to a cool guitar-solo section reminding me of Richie Sambora's feel-good country-inspired solos when Bon Jovi met Nashville.


'Run Away With Me' with its dense intro section packed full of melodies, instruments, and musical ideas settles into a grooving middle-of-the-road rock track which chugs along nicely enough. The chorus didn't hit me as hard as I'd like, with more emphasis seemingly placed on the main riff which features in the intro and the vocals sound a little strained but the backing vocals help to ease the slight tensity. The guitar sound is great in the short solo lick but I can't help thinking the chorus after this could have been really stripped back and sparse to create a bigger impact for the final chorus and outro riff. By all means a good rock song but one I feel could be even better with a brief trip back to the drawing board.


'Light Me On Fire It's Midnight' reminds me of the guitar-led Weezer and Jimmy... feel that drew me in in the first place and the chorus is great. The track is short and sweet and to the point though still finds time for a guitar solo which is fine by me, and feels like the memorable sing-along track that would have the most success with radio airplay.


Charlie Played Cello offer exactly what it says on the tin; it's no-thrills guitar-rock that rightly deserves radio-time and, although might not be something that appeals to an English audience as much as an American one (or at least not a young one) still has scope to offer the band success which I wish them in the future.


Be sure to check out CPC on Facebook whilst Red is available now on iTunes.