In early 2010, it was announced that the band will continue with frontman Shaant Hacikyan as the only original member to continue, joining with former members of Mandy K.
Michael Brady, Patrick MacLean, Kevin Scoma , and Mike Novak have joined Hacikyan to release Cute's single, "Harbour" which is available free for download on Shaant Hacikyan's Twitter account and here.
Pre-2010...
Having paired off in other local combos – singer Shaant Hacikyan and guitarist Jeff Czum in one, old bassist Fred Cimato and drummer Tom Falcone in another – Cute Is What We Aim For came together in January 2005 in Buffalo, New York, driven by the four members' desire to cast their own upbeat spin onto modern pop.
The Cute Is What We Aim For moniker was adopted as a 'homage to a friend'. It is also said that the term "cute" was used by Shaant in high school as another word for "gay", and in a phone conversation between himself and guitarist Jeff, Shaant stated "Cute is what we aim for." in reference to picking a name, and the band decided to use that phrase. The band was productive from the get-go, cranking out a series of bedroom demo recordings just moments after uniting. They posted the tracks on MySpace and PureVolume and quickly captured the attention of the blogosphere. From the start, there was a genuine connection between Cute and the kids.
Cute's online presence allowed for widespread national exposure that once upon a time could only be garnered through full-steam-ahead touring. With songs like "Lyrical Lies" and "Finger Twist and Split" lighting up broadband connections coast-to-coast, the band were eager to establish themselves as an equally poptastic live act. In the spring of 2005, mere months after getting started, Cute won PureVolume's online Battle of the Bands competition, securing a high-profile spot at that year's Bamboozle. They spent the following months recording and playing more shows, building upon their new fanbase while simultaneously fending off the many record companies that were vying for their services. But when the call came from Fueled By Ramen, they knew that they'd found the right home.
The band signed onto the Fueled By Ramen roster in November and quickly began getting ready to record their debut album. In February 2006, they packed their gear into the van and headed down to Beltsville, Maryland to work with producer Matt Squire. Squire, known for his work with such bands as Panic! At the Disco and Thrice, helped the band focus their energies, direct their efforts, and encourage them to fully find their own voice in the studio.
The resulting The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch more than fulfills Cute's mission to mesh jubilant tunefulness with savvy verbal gymnastics. Among the album's many highlights is the first single, "There's a Class for This," which features guest vocals from William Beckett from The Academy Is.. and on stage Martin Johnson from Boys Like Girls.
Since finishing the record, Cute has begun playing more and more live shows, including headline dates and tours alongside such artists as Punchline and Jack's Mannequin.
Bassist Fred Cimato left the band in October 2006. He was replaced by former October Fall member Jack Marin. However, in April 2007, it was revealed that Marin had left the band and Cimato had returned in order to replace him.
In early 2008, Cimato once again left the band, and solo artist and old Dave Melillo officially joined as his replacement. Melillo had been playing with the band for a while as an extra rhythm guitarist, but is now an official member.
On September 2nd 2008, drummer, Tom Falcone, anounced that he would be leaving the band. Many speculated because the band was on tour and Falcone had been missing for a few shows. Falcone released an offical statement via ap.net stating that "I simply left the band because the personality conflicts and daily drama made it impossible for me to live a peaceful, happy life." Also adding that "I assure you that no one came looking for me." Shaant nor any of the other members have commented on the situation. Former Roses Are Red drummer Michael Lasaponara is currently filling in on drums.
The band split ways August 18th, 2009. Dave Melillo told Alternative Press Magazine in an online interview "The story pretty much is we got off [the] Take Action! [tour], and the idea was to write a record. We didn't have any type of management, we didn't have anyone that we were really working with, so we didn't have a direction, we didn't have any type of game plan. But we were really trying."
In recent news (2010) Jeff Czum was seen filling in for a guitarist during a show in Australia.
Moan
Cute Is What We Aim For Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am safe, quaint and eloquent
But my bottom lip along with the top one too
Is chapped and it's all thanks to you
We all wet our lips to prepare for the kiss
But it never came
And we all wet our lips to prepare for the kiss
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
(The bone, the bone)
You trained these lips when they were champs
And now they're itchin' for a comeback
So come back
It's a shame that your claim to fame
Hangs on someone else's name
So come back
Such a task and this is such a blast
And such a task
And such a task and this is such a blast
And all that jazz
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
You have a dangerous face and illegal taste
And that strap is fallen on that shoulder blade
Be patient
Behave
You have a dangerous face and illegal taste
And that strap is fallen on that shoulder blade
Be patient
Behave
You have a dangerous face and illegal taste
And that strap is fallen on that shoulder blade
Be patient
Behave
You trained these lips when they were champs
And now they're itchin' for a comeback
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
You have a moan all of your own
And I can feel it down to the bone
The lyrics of "Moan" by Cute Is What We Aim For explore the complex emotions surrounding intimacy and rejection. The first verse sets the stage with the singer revealing that they are "safe, quaint and eloquent," but their lips are chapped, which they attribute to the person who has rejected them. The chorus repeats the notion of anticipation for a kiss that never arrived, and the disappointment that followed.
The second verse turns more aggressive as the singer challenges their former love interest to return and trains their lips to prepare for the next encounter. They express frustration that the other person's "claim to fame" depends on someone else's name, and imply that they have a dangerous, illicit quality. The repeated "be patient, behave" provides a contrast to the singer's desire to act on their impulses.
The song takes on an interesting structure as the chorus is broken up by different verses that build on the singer's obsession with their former lover. The repeated lines at the end of each verse add to a sense of urgency and longing that has been building throughout the song. Overall, "Moan" is a song that explores the aftermath of a failed relationship and the complicated feelings that can arise from unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Swoon this is the same old blood rush with a new touch
This feeling of excitement is familiar, but with a new sensation
I am safe quaint and eloquent, but my bottom lip along with the top one too. Is chapped and it's all thanks to you
I may seem proper, but you've left me with a longing that's making me physically uncomfortable
We all wet our lips to prepare for the kiss, but it never came. And we all wet our lips to prepare for the kiss, it was but a game
We anticipated something that never happened, and it was all just a playful game
You have a moan all of your own, and I can feel it down to the bone
Your unique way of expressing pleasure resonates deep within me
(The bone, the bone)
I feel it in my very core
You trained these lips when they were champs, And now they're itchin' for a comeback, so come back
You taught me how to be a master at kissing, and now I long to feel that again
It's a shame that your claim to fame hangs on someone else's name, so come back
It's unfortunate that your accomplishments are attributed to another person, so please come back to me
Such a task and this is such a blast, And such a task. And such a task and this is such a blast, and all that jazz
This pursuit may be challenging, but it's also exhilarating, so let's go for it
You have a dangerous face and illegal taste, and that strap is fallen on that shoulder blade, be patient, behave
You have an alluring appearance and are drawn to taboo things, but we must proceed with caution and restraint
You trained these lips when they were champs, And now they're itchin' for a comeback
You taught me how to be a master at kissing, and now I long to feel that again
You have a moan all of your own, and I can feel it down to the bone
Your unique way of expressing pleasure resonates deep within me
You have a moan all of your own, and I can feel it down to the bone
Your unique way of expressing pleasure resonates deep within me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FERNANDO CIMATO, JEFF CZUM, JEFFREY MARTIN CZUM, SHAANT HACIKYAN, SHAANT TIMOTHY HACIKYAN, TOM FALCONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind