Album by Cheekface
I couldn’t wait to spend more time with Cheekface.
After falling head over heels for It’s Sorted, I immediately jumped into their 2025 release Middle Spoon, hoping lightning might strike twice.
It did.
Cheekface has this insane ability to churn out impossibly catchy three-minute songs that function as indie rock, post-punk, stand-up comedy, social commentary, and existential dread all at the same time. There’s a wink and a nod to so much of what they do, and listening can feel like being part of an inside joke set to some of the most fun music being made.
Middle Spoon feels noticeably pricklier than It’s Sorted. Underneath all those infectious melodies is an album that sounds increasingly exhausted by the systems, expectations, and performative rituals of modern society.
“Living Lo-Fi” moves along with an infectious rhythm and one of those choruses that immediately plants itself in your brain. It feels joyous. Danceable. Almost celebratory. Meanwhile, the lyrics seem to be poking holes in performative virtue.
“Flies” has an almost soul-disco groove underneath its quirky post-punk beat. References to meat, flies, decay and consumption create this strange picture of modern life dancing on top of something that has already begun to rot.
“Wind Is Gone” slows things down. The music becomes hypnotic, driven by an almost mechanical pulse, while the vocals feel darker and more foreboding. It sounds less like tongue-in-cheek banter and more like an intercom at the end of the world complete with an emergency helpline that’s permanently out of service.
“Rude World” hits with an unexpected reggae beat. The vocals become more melodic and the rhythm more relaxed, but the song itself feels like an exhausted sigh.
“Military Gum” brings a harsher blast of punk energy while “Art House” might be the most immediately accessible song on the album. It’s brisk and ridiculously catchy, with bright harmonies and an infectious chorus sitting alongside lyrics filled with frustration at trying to satisfy a fickle indie music audience.
“Growth Sux” is a fun detour filled with vocal manipulation, samples and unexpected turns. It’s quirky and sharp, and bounces along with an infectious beat.
“Don’t Dream” has maybe the prettiest chorus on Middle Spoon wrapped around perhaps its bleakest idea. By the end, ska, rock, pop and dance music are all crashing together while that gorgeous melody carries the whole thing.
“I Know What’s Going to Happen” slows things down. The music matches this sense of resignation and exhaustion at the repeated cycles of life.
“Content Baby” is one of my favorite songs here. Sunny. Almost classic-rock comfortable. The melody practically sweeps you away. The lyrics keep returning to disposable things alongside the way we package and present ourselves online.
“Hard Mode” closes the album with another huge chorus and the distinctive vocal phrasing that makes Cheekface immediately recognizable. The video game metaphor — life feeling like someone accidentally selected Hard Mode before pressing Start — beautifully captures the album’s worldview.
Middle Spoon shows off just how musically adventurous Cheekface can be. Soul, disco, reggae, punk, post-punk, indie rock, dance music, ska, power pop — they borrow from all over the place without losing what makes them sound like Cheekface.
The music is smooth and playful. The humor and irony are still present, but there’s frustration here. Not just with systems, but with people.
Cheekface turns all of that into one of the most fun records I’ve heard all year.
Verdict: Great
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