Cheer-Accident sounds like a highly disciplined orchestra that has decided to play a game of musical chairs with their own instruments. One moment you are enveloped in warm, Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies and gentle piano, and the next you are being jolted by abrasive, Steve Albini-engineered noise rock or complex, interlocking rhythmic patterns that defy easy counting. It is music that feels both meticulously planned and dangerously close to falling apart.
What makes them truly distinctive is their refusal to settle. They occupy the rare space between the intellectual rigour of Rock In Opposition (RIO) and the visceral energy of the Chicago math-rock scene. They use 'pop' not as a genre, but as a weapon or a surprise, dropping a beautiful melody into the middle of a chaotic, dissonant jam just to see how it changes the temperature of the room.
Start with 'Introducing Lemon' for a masterclass in their ability to blend accessible hooks with avant-garde structures. If you prefer the heavier, more abrasive side of their personality, 'Dumb Ask' provides the raw, angular energy of their early 90s output. It is music for people who find comfort in complexity and joy in the unexpected.
Cheer-Accident is an American progressive rock ensemble headed by Thymme Jones. Jones took the name of the band from a Hallmark Cards shopping display, and first formed the group in 1981 with singer Jim Drummond and drummer Mike Greenlees.
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