PWR BTTM – Ugly Cherries

Queercore goes glam-powerpop – and how! Having dropped across the Atlantic late last year, Ugly Cherries finally gets a UK release, and it’s an absolute fucking delight. You’ll likely spot similarities to Weezer’s freewheeling hooks in the sunny power chords of 1994 and I Wanna Boi, but these songs offer so much more.

Ben Hopkins and Liv Bruce have made an album about reaching adulthood as a gay person, teeming with intelligence and an overactive self-awareness that throbs like a dull ache. ‘I’m too old for being young,’ goes the wry Nu 1 – our hearts melt. 

Affable from the get-go, they tackle queer identity and relationships with wit and charm, and some stellar shredding. They’re romantic as hell too: ‘The stars above me are the same ones above you,’ sings Hopkins on West Texas. ‘I’ve been trying to play it cool but I still love you.’ Drenched in glitter and wisdom, PWR BTTM are your new favourite band. Just accept it; you’ll save time.

Listen to: 1994