When Cults first appeared on the music scene in the summer of 2010, almost as little was known about them as the secretive co-ops they take their name from. All anyone knew were that there were two people in the group—Brian Oblivion (guitar, vocals) and Madeline Follin (vocals)—they were located in New York, and they were good at making music. Specifically, kitschy, '60s-esque pop tunes with a sinister bite to them.
Their first single, "Go Outside," is a simple, dewy summer anthem, until you catch the sample of infamous cult leader Jim Jones intoning "To me, death is not a fearful thing. It's living that's treacherous."
After blog after blog picked up "Go Outside," the band took their time perfecting their songs before releasing their first full-length in June 2011. The resultant album is everything that first single suggested the band could be—light and poppy, with just enough darkness to keep things interesting.
The band made their second St. Louis appearance—their first coming soon after their first track was released in July 2010 at the Luminary—at the Firebird in early August last year. They played to a full house, finishing off their set with a rousing sing-a-long and members of the audience jumping on-stage to sway along with lead-singer Follin. If that show is any indication, their LouFest set is not going to be one to miss.
For your consideration:
With only one album clocking in at a little over 30 minutes, it's not too hard to become acquainted with Cults' repertoire of songs. Skipping out on their music videos, though, would be a mistake: "Abducted," "Oh My God" and "Go Outside" are all surprisingly creepy and thoroughly entertaining.
