reviewed by Elysse Cloma
CUPCAKE DUCTAPE is a sparkle punk girl duo, and “possibly the newest band” in Guelph, Ontario. Their Get Over It EP was released in June 2015 on Guelph record label Little Room Labs. Get Over It EP perfectly captures CUPCAKE DUCTAPE’s unapologetically tongue-in-cheek attitude. Adorable bunting graces the banner of their Bandcamp page, while a fuchsia hand-drawn cupcake with glitter glue for frosting is the album artwork for the Get Over It EP. CUPCAKE DUCTAPE’s aesthetic reflects the sound of their music, which is loud, cute, and utterly enchanting.
CUPCAKE DUCTAPE consists of band members Alanna Gurr on bass and Steph Yates on drums. The duo makes music that’s straightforward, unadorned, always noisy, and never boring. Gurr’s hammering bass lines give CUPCAKE DUCTAPE’s tracks their melodic structure, while Yates’ clean-cut playing drives the songs on Get Over It EP from one section to the next. Tom-tom-heavy drumming and distorted bass keep the tracks in the lower register, which is balanced by CUPCAKE DUCTAPE’s vocals. Their style of shout-singing demands attention and is pleasantly endearing. The contrast that comes from innocuous, girlish voices singing lyrics like “I’m going to come to your house and puke!” on song “Whose Hair?” is the essence of CUPCAKE DUCTAPE’s style. On the track “Downtown”, their voices blend, while on “Champagne Birthday” there’s a clear difference between the lead and background vocals.
On Get Over It EP, CUPCAKE DUCTAPE use emphatic sections in their songs to get their messages across. The track “Recipe for Disaster” toggles between fast and slow tempos to accompany chaotic imagery in the lyrics. “Unique New York” plays with irksome tongue twisters, and “Downtown” best shows off the duo’s vocal blend. Get Over It EP is playful, cheeky, and infectious. Closing with the song “Get Over It”, both band members confidently assert: “we don’t care anymore!”
Top Tracks: “Unique New York”; “Whose Hair?
Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good)
