I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not a professional music listener of either post-industrial music or neo-folk. I don't know why. I must have been sick that day in class. That being said, Cult of Youth are a good band whose music I like a lot... even if I don't fully understand the buried Throbbing Gristle comparisons. Oh well. It happens.

But I did have a love affair with the Pogues at one point in my life, so perhaps those fond feelings are creeping back when I listen to this band. They sort of sound like the Pogues... but not. You know? Yeah. You know.

Since 2007 Sean Ragon (he was in Love as Laughter at one point) has quietly released a 7" and a full-length. And he did all the instrumentation for his "band" himself. That changed just recently. Ragon now has help. Shedding the quotation marks, Cult of Youth are now simply a full-fledged band.

Cult of Youth's first full-length as a band (see? no quotes. you see?) is excellent and it's out now on Sacred Bones (The Men, Crystal Stilts, Wymond Miles, etc.) and may propel them to new territories of popularity.

I won't begin to describe Sean Ragon's message behind this album and his work, because he's extremely articulate about it himself. Look him up and read some interviews. But I do know Ragon says Cult of Youth is about empowerment and freedom. And those are two things that, professional post-industrial or neo-folk listener or not, I'm into completely. How about you?



Allah-Las play the El Rey, on Sunday, October 21st.">Cult of Youth play Los Globos, on Sunday, October 28th.