Cult of Youth
Love Will Prevail

I discovered this band thanks to a friend who produced their LP (title: "Filthy Plumage In An Open Sea") and since then I couldn't help but love the folk-punk of these Americans.

Influenced by the melancholy sound of Death In June, these artists are still able to blend in elements typical of the American underground tradition: glimpses of Gun Club, acoustic Swans, and Tom Waits. A truly talented group, ready to reinterpret punk and post-punk tradition through an acoustic guitar, a bass, a violin, and drums.

There is a Central European martiality but, in their own way, there is also the Yankee disdain and certain dark-punk references. There are some more relaxing episodes as well.

After the excellent "A Stick to Bind, a Seed to Grow" and "Cult of Youth", they return in 2012 with "Love Will Prevail". Some things, it’s needless to deny, have changed.

The singer and mastermind Sean Ragon now seems to pay tribute to the English new wave and, particularly, to more psychedelic groups like Chameleons UK and Echo & The Bunnymen. There are even some hints capable of bringing to mind the legendary Joy Division, but take it all with a grain of salt! From neofolk to a sort of acoustic sound in love with the hypnotic dark originating from Albion. As I've already written, there looms an approach to the matter that I dare define as psychedelic. Confused? Then how can I illustrate to you how the album sounds? Listen to it! This is the only honest advice I can give you! If you hate it, you'll have mathematical certainty that I never understood a thing about music.

But let's get back to the review's subject. It seems that today Mr. Ragon is less combative and self-destructive than usual (his dual and contradictory nature). To be clear: he is always dealing with the well-known "warlike" scenarios! But in the year of the Lord 2012, he appears more mature and lucid than a while ago. Is he maturing too? I don't know.

But if it is maturation, well, let's hope he doesn't abandon his distinctive traits.

With this, I do not mean to imply that "Love Will Prevail" is a bad record or the result of some odious compromise! Far from it! The music is IMO excellent and enjoyable! I just hope, for the near future, that Ragon does not overturn the emotional and sound framework characteristic of the project Cult of Youth. A project, in the opinion of this writer, among the most interesting in recent years.