The Cells - We Can Replace You - 2002

The Cells' We Can Replace You is for folks who like walls of guitars -- thick, rich guitars. The group's music can, at times, fall roughly into the punk-pop or power pop spheres but, more accurately, this is urgent, hook-ridden hard rock with a wide appeal. The album storms out of the gate with the chest-thumping, clotted-cream riffs of "Silver Cloud," and then plunges headlong into the furious, hook-ridden attack of the Cheap Trick-esque "All Be Happy." The vocals of frontman Cory Hance have an appealing, adolescent quality, whether he's whining at you like your bratty little brother or snottily drawling extra syllables into words like early Liam Gallagher (particularly on "Fluff," which could be a first cousin to Oasis' "Supersonic" or "Acquiesce"). This is first-rate, muscular rock, and the only misstep here seems to be the anthemic (replete with acoustic guitar opening) rocker "Spaceman." But as long as the trio (and whatever bass player has been rented for the moment) keeps the guitars revved up and Hance keeps up the punkish whining, this is appealing rock of the highest order.-AMG



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