Cherry Glazerr are at their strongest on ‘Stuffed and Ready’

Cherry Glazerr
Stuffed and Ready

Secretly Canadian · February 1, 2019

The amateurish grit of early Cherry Glazerr has been polished away, allowing the well-written songs on Stuffed and Ready to shine brighter.

I remember when Cherry Glazerr first became an indie phenomenon. The year was 2014, and I was a sophomore in high school. The world of underground music had recently opened up to me via Bandcamp, the ultimate DIY music sharing platform. At the top of the site’s ‘alternative’ section was Haxel Princess by a band named Cherry Glazerr. I gave the project multiple listens, but it didn’t resonate with me. But, unlike most Bandcamp bands, Cherry Glazerr persisted and exponentially developed. That development was showcased on their second LP, Apocalipstick, a punchy indie rock record full of conviction. Five years after Haxel Princess, on their third studio album, Cherry Glazerr are nearly at the peak of their powers. Lead singer Clementine Creevy has crafted some of her strongest songs to date, which are complemented by sleek studio production. The amateurish grit of early Cherry Glazerr has been polished away, allowing the well-written songs on Stuffed and Ready to shine brighter.

The record opens with guitar’s ablaze on “Ohio.” The track features an anthemic chorus and incendiary riff. Creevy’s vocals soar as she sings, “…there’s no ground beneath you.” Though it’s certainly nothing groundbreaking, “Ohio” is a fantastic pop-rock track worth revisiting. It’s the second track on the album, “Daddi,” that really displays an evolved Cherry Glazerr. Creevy herself even stated the single “shows our growth as a band.” Thundering drums gallop over a pristine clean tone guitar before launching into a huge, angst-ridden chorus. Full of conviction and bite, “Daddi” is Cherry Glazerr’s strongest single to date.

Another highlight on the A-Side is “Wasted Nun.” Considering this is quite possibly the catchiest song on Stuffed and Ready, it’s impressive how powerful the lyrics are. Creevy addresses the double standards and inequalities women face daily over a grungy hard rock track reminiscent of the 90’s outfit Hole. This idea of disrupting the patriarchal status quo permeates the record. For example, take the line, “I’m an unproductive sin /…You can sue me if I kiss you.” It’s clear Creevy has had enough of being silenced.

Unlike the first half of Stuffed and Ready, the back end of the record idly coasts along making nearly no impact at all. The songs become much more forgettable, and it makes me wonder what went wrong. For example, not a single one of the last three songs are worth revisiting. “Pieces” sounds empty, like it should have been a throwaway. “Stupid Fish” isn’t exciting, and lyrically uncreative. The album closer “Distressor” is simply a formulaic and mundane indie rock track that plods over a simple arpeggio. Sadly, it’s not the epic closer it could have been. Luckily the B-side does have one redeeming cut, the single “Juicy Socks”. Like the great tracks on the first half of the record, the song features interesting lyric bits, guitar riffs, and overall tightness as a unit. “Juicy Socks” reminded me that although not every track hit, the band really has come a long way.

Ultimately, Cherry Glazerr are not reinventing the wheel on Stuffed and Ready. Despite that, their evolution is absolutely admirable. There are certainly a handful of tracks I plan to revisit and will continue to enjoy. The record’s biggest strength is Clementine Creevy’s tactful blend of introspective, rebellious and satirical lyrics. To think this is the same band I rejected back in high school on Bandcamp is shocking, and I’m happy to hear them in their strongest, most bold form to date.