Ears Wide Open: Cuffed Up

Kevin Bronson on August 6th, 2019

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L.A. quartet Cuffed Up got their start when Ralph Torrefranca (ex-Dr. Doctor) and Sapphire Jewell (ex-Gypsum) met at a Sunday brunch thrown by scene stalwart Shab Ferdowsi of Blushh. Their conversation touched on their mutual affection for U.K. punk-rock bands such as IDLES and Shame, and their forebears. Further meet-ups ensued, this time with instruments in hand, and a post-punk band was born.

Now including by Vic Ordonez and Joe Liptock, Cuffed Up last week released their first two singles, “Mother/Father” and “Small Town Kid,” and one can only hope they keep going. Released (understandably, after you hear them) as double A-sides, the songs burst with irascible energy, the former summoning the four-on-the-floor strength to transcend one’s own insecurities and the latter the will to follow one’s dreams. Guitars bite, rhythms chew and lyrics get spit into a churning squall of focused emotion. Be still, thy pulse. On second thought, don’t.

The self-produced singles, engineered by Mike Pepe and Kenny Tye, are available on Bandcamp.

||| Stream: “Mother/Father” and “Small Town Kid”