Sluka have remained desperately optimistic in the face of life’s impending doom on ‘Cautionary Yell’, that latest transcendent album from the San Diego six-piece.
The project was produced by Grammy-winner Alan Sanderson, and sees the band — fronted by vocalist and composer Christopher Sluka — span the reaches of orchestral and alt-rock, all while vowing to be hopeful amid the horrors of the world.
‘Cautionary Yell’ opens with the whirring synths of ‘When The Genie’s Out’. Guided by the driving bass of bandmate Anna Eppink, the track coasts rhythmic drum patterns (Michael Bedard) and at-times insidious synth flourishes courtesy of Sluka himself.
It veers from country flairs — helped along by Brad Steinwehe’s air instrumentation — to dark rock, showcasing the band’s ability to flit between sounds with finesse.
In what becomes a throughline across the entire album, the first track makes room for spacey, sci-fi sounding electronic flourishes, feeling like what you might get if a folk song was pushed through the cosmos.
This knack for diverse sounds continues on ‘Sunset Screamer’, a more upbeat cut that brims with Sluka’s glittery piano keys and thunderous percussion.
The major drawcard of the track is Sluka’s voice, which courses through the track with tangible personality. The band even make room for ascendant vocal harmonies and the shimmering, dream-like violins of Nico Hueso.
Strings appear all throughout the album, further deepening the ethereal and enchanting quality of the band’s unique sound.
The band’s experimental and instrumentally rich spirit is what allows ‘Cautionary Yell’ to maintain its momentum.
Album standout ‘My Own Reasons’ feels like a both a jazz cut, with its sultry rhythms, and a pop rock effort with its sing-along refrains, while ‘Wave Goodbye and Fly Away’ ventures firmly into orchestral territory with thrilling strings and Erdis Maxhelaku’s fairytale-like cello.
Through it all, it’s the sheer charisma of Sluka’s voice that connects all the dots, often dipping into levels of theatricality that feel altogether infectious.
‘Science’ sees the frontman deliver catchy melodies on the album’s clearest foray into surfy fuzz rock, before the Elton John-indebted ‘Saving It All’ showcases his range from guttural broods to ascendant harmonies.
The latter track is just one example of the album’s equally brilliant storytelling. It sees the band relent to — and become downtrodden by — the chaos and monotony of the world, and forms part of the album’s broader message.
In press materials, Sluka said the tracks “are like chapters in a book,” a sentiment that rings true not just of their poetic insights, but of their role as “part of a larger story.”
‘As It Flows’ traces the band’s lamentations with the world’s violence, pain, and demands for sacrifice, while ‘I’d Like To Know’ sees them seek solace from these woes through connection.
Later, on the gaelic-flecked ‘Gone Our Treasures’, Sluka sings joyously of bridging “the differences of man”, before the band’s efforts culminate on closer ‘That Moment’.
Here, Sluka consolidate their diverse spirit with a stirring and textured odyssey through their sound. At any given moment there’s something that catches the ear, from the majesty of the opening strings to the Phill Collins-like drum sequences.
It’s a worthy finish to a sprawling album, one that pairs its experimental flair with incisive and engaging commentary.
Listen to Sluka’s new album ‘Cautionary Yell’ below.
