As the 2000s rolled on, the transformation of emo from the expression of intensely felt, ripped-from-the-throat feelings played by bands directly influenced by post-punk and hardcore to mall-friendly Day-Glo pop played by people who didn't know anything about Fugazi was made pretty much complete with the release of
Cash Cash's
Take It to the Floor album. The quartet of improbably young and innocent-looking young dudes has made what could be the definitive statement of dancefloor-friendly, sugar-coated pop with just a dash of emo. Filled with Auto-Tune vocals, old-school synths, singalong choruses, slick-as-oil vocal harmonies, and high-schoolish romantic notions, the album sounds pretty much like
the Archies would have sounded if they had hung out at Hot Topic instead of Pop Tate's Chocklit Shoppe, if they were familiar with the work of
the Cars and
Timbaland, and if they were produced by S*A*M & Sluggo instead of Jeff Barry. In other words, if you are expecting any kind of punk authenticity from
Cash Cash, you'll be disappointed and possibly homicidal by the time the first song (the incredibly hooky "Breakout") is half over. On the other hand, if you want a quick blast of poppy good times, the album is pretty brilliant -- especially if you've ever sat around wondering what a mash-up of
Jimmy Eat World (circa The Middle) and
Daft Punk would sound like. As evidenced by the band's one perfect moment, "Party in Your Bedroom," it's awesome. The rest of the album doesn't quite measure up to that song, but it never falls too far away from the sweet spot of energy, melody, and slick silliness. Write them off as poseurs or lightweights and you are missing the point --
Cash Cash are unabashedly pop and that's nothing to be ashamed of when you do it as well as they do here. ~ Tim Sendra