Cheerleader, the Philadelphia outfit, launched their inaugural full-length album The Sunshine of Your Youth in 2015, delivering a sparkling dream pop aesthetic alongside an upbeat outlook. After pausing activities, the group resurfaced in 2020 via Almost Forever, an effort that shifted toward introspective psychedelic pop and post-punk textures.
Having moved from their home state of Connecticut to Philadelphia, longtime friends Joe Haller and Chris Duran launched the project as a duo in 2012 under the Cheerleader banner. Early demo uploads earned recognition from NME and MTV, prompting the addition of three members to form a quintet that included bassist Paul Impellizeri, keyboardist Josh Pannepacker, and drummer Carl Bahner. The expanded ensemble secured a deal in 2013 with California-based independent label Bright Antenna Records, which issued their debut EP On Your Side. Their first album-length statement, The Sunshine of Your Youth, followed in 2015.
After a stretch of intensive live dates concluded in late 2016, mental and physical fatigue led the band to enter a hiatus. Several months later, Haller resumed songwriting in isolation without intending the material for Cheerleader. Those darker and more contemplative compositions ultimately shaped the band’s sophomore release Almost Forever. Working once again with Bright Antenna and producer Chris Coady (Beach House, Lower Dens), the recording featured Haller alongside Impellizeri, Pannepacker, and drummer Sean Donaghy, reaching audiences in early 2020.
