EP Review: Cash Only by Millionaires

"Imma dance like a slut, and I don't even care." - Party Like A Millionaire

What does it mean for something to be tasteful? What does it mean for something to be tasteless? Can something be both at the same time? How does one differ between sincerity or a very convincing irony? If one chooses to appreciate something ironically, at what point does that irony become a genuine enjoyment and appreciation? To me, these are some questions that I find myself pondering but often struggling to provide myself with concrete answers for. Consider how the late 2010s and early 2020s saw PC music and hyperpop become the talk of so much online music discussion with their appreciation and derivation of music that was at one time considered horrendous at worst, and "so bad it's good at worst". For many people, it took years of seeing PC music as ironic and in on the joke, before realizing that there was a genuine appreciation there for the music, time period, and scenes that were inspiring them.

Why do I bring this up? Well, you see the band name, the EP name, and my chosen lyric to sum it all up, so why do you think I bring this all up? This EP may be one of most tasteless, trashy, and stupid pieces of pop music I have ever heard, with no seeming hint of irony, playful derivation, or deeper commentary to be found. However, it may also be one of the most consistently fun, confident, and self-assured EPs I have ever heard as well. Maybe, just maybe, there's a certain point at which a commitment to brainless fun can be, intentionally or not, its own form of commentary, and a choice to embrace pleasure for its own sake, in a world in which self-consciousness, self-doubt, and self-reflection can often sap sheer id level enjoyment from life.

In terms of history, I frankly have virtually nothing to say here. I can't tell you a ton about Millionaires, and at this stage, I really don't care a ton to explore much deeper, which I find to be very fitting for what we are discussing here. I think the group was founded in the late 2000s in California, and that time period is about as apparent as could possibly be with the style of music here. Think Dev and Ke$ha, but more vulgar. This is their third EP, yet the only one I have yet to listen to the whole way through. Why would I start on EP three? Well, mainly because of Take Your Shirt Off, which has been on my playlists for years, yet somehow never inspired me to look further into the group, until tonight. While Take Your Shirt Off is still my favorite song on the EP, and a 5/5 vapid dance-pop song that should have been a tremendous mainstream hit in my opinion, it's far from the only gem I find here. Party Like A Millionaire reminds me of Dev's Bass Down Low in the best way possible, and Stay The Night is a surprisingly light pop song that I'm still convinced is using the same chord progression as Madonna's Holiday. Prom Dress and Microphone are both enjoyable, but definitely much less outstanding than the other songs on the EP. Overall, I give Cash Only a 4/5. It's fun, very stupid, and extremely dated in best way possible, but it sure does excel at being what it is. We should all aim to embrace what we are as much as Millionaires clearly did on this EP.