Young Guv
Ripe 4 Luv
Slumberland Records
Street: 03.10
Young Guv = (Big Star x Prince / Cheap Trick) ± Kids On A Crime Spree
Young Guv, aka Ben Cook of Fucked Up and No Warning, makes his Slumberland debut with Ripe 4 Luv, eight tracks of unabashedly sugary power pop. Working in a genre that’s rutted in a specific array of sounds, Cook breathes new life into his tunes. Between crunchy guitars, crystalline synths and sweet-as-honey harmonies, Cook lays on his craftsmanship heavily in each track on Ripe 4 Luv, but doesn’t overload one’s palate. There’s nary a dull note on this record—from the power pop of “Crawling Back To You” and “Kelly, I’m Not A Creep” to smooth, soulful tracks like “Aquarian” and “Wrong Crowd,” Ripe 4 Luv, is stuffed with easy-listening, perfect pop tracks. #youngluv4vr. –Christian Schultz