Cherub
           

In the music industry, it usually takes a bit of time for musical acts to start to garner a large amount of attention. However, for Cherub, this was not the case. The duo out of Nashville, bound together by their love of dance music and disco of 70s and 80s and a passion for electronic music of the future, teamed up and created quite the buzz in no time at all.

Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber were studying music business at Middle Tennessee State University when they met at a dorm party. The two were no strangers to the Nashville music scene. Huber had been leading a psychedelic/funk band, while Kelley was busy making beats for a hip-hop duo in Nashville. When they met in 2010, they both realized their similar interests and the potential they had together.

The duo released their originally composed Man of the Hour EP in 2011. This EP offers a great showcase of Cherub’s sound and style. Kelley and Huber seem to effortlessly combine their love of electronic pop, disco, and rock. Their sound, honed by music software programs like Reason and Pro Tools, samples piano phrasings and is overlaid with velvet-smooth guitar licks. In the background, the filtered synth licks complement heavy bass riffs, resulting in irresistible grooves. Finally, Kelley’s funky lyrics, which are dripping with Bee Gees and Michael Jackson-like influences, pull the whole package together. Check out the songs “Remember the Good Times”, “Mines Yours”, “Love You Right”, and “Disco Inferno” for some extra fun.

During this time, the band was touring heavily. In addition to immersing themselves in the Nashville music scene, they began traveling and relentlessly playing at small clubs, frat parties, and local EDM raves. Their live performances are adrenaline-filled, sweaty, and action-packed. Cherub lives for the energy of the crowd and feeds off it, using it as fuel for the show’s energy. It’s hard for any music lover to resist such fierce momentum. Cherub built a word-of-mouth following that seemed to reach its peak when they played their first show in New York City, headlining the Highline Ballroom. They earned their popularity the old-fashioned way, by playing live shows and slowly generating a devout following.

Cherub really struck gold when they released their single “Doses and Mimosas” in 2012. This song really put them on the map and attracted more fans than ever before. In fact, it helped land them a major record deal with Columbia Records. “Doses and Mimosas”, a party song that features Cherub’s signature playful lyrics and fresh synth lines, landed them spots at music festivals like Bonnaroo, SXSW, Electric Forest, and others. As 2015, approaches, we can be sure to see Cherub getting major spots at music festivals around the country.

“Doses and Mimosas”, which was the single for their 2012 album MoM & DaD, also became the lead single for the band’s second album Year of The Caprese, which was released in May of 2014. What can we say about this album? Cherub doesn’t deviate from their style. Lyrics with themes of youth and partying, electric guitar outbursts, thick bass riffs, and funky beats to keep the tempo of parties way up. However, this album just sounds bigger. It’s like they took their usual formula for songwriting and just added a whole new layer of depth wherever possible. The album is awesome and I definitely recommend looking into it. My favorite songs are “Disco Shit”, “Lifesaver”, and “<3”, but honestly every song is really good and the whole album plays through very nicely. The production is superb and the end product is an artistic production that is great for chilling and partying alike. Give Year of The Caprese a listen, you won’t be disappointed.

Cherub continues to write music and tour together. Don’t miss them when they come to your area. Check out their YouTube page for their music videos and their tour videos, which are hilarious. It’s easy to see that the duo loves making music and more importantly, they’re having fun doing it. They’re not in it for the money; they’re just a couple of dudes who love music and love having fun and if you ask me, they’re doing it right.

By David Cooper

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