Who loves finding new music? Pssht, more like who doesn’t finding new music? No one. That’s who. Because we all love it. But what about when the music finds you? Yes lads and lasses, all it took was a listen on last.fm and the band contacted me with a simple request- a review and interview. You have no idea how absolutely psyched I was to see a band reach out to me like that; it filled me with hope for the future of this blog. We’re really making progress since our April conception. The band is none other than The Vanguard Villains, a New York-based rock trio that defies the “hippsterdom” dominating their city (to quote lead singer Neil). What do you mean you haven’t heard of them?! Well it’s a good thing I’m around. And now without further ado, here’s my review of their album “The Brooklyn Demos”.
Track One- “I Could Save the Day” (for children of the 90s)
A fabulous introductory track. The beginning is very relaxed and lead singer Neil’s powerful vocals reach out and grab you in. The chorus is a little more upbeat than the verses, proving that mellow songs can still be fun. Around the three minute mark a nice little guitar solo dominates the scene, paving the way for Neil to come back full force. The song is reminiscent of the alternative and college rock-gone mainstream that dominated the airwaves of the 90s. Ahhhh, the music of my youth.
Track Two- “Admire” (the caffeinated song)
The first song I heard from the band when I discovered them online. Once again the verses are chill and the chorus is energized, this time by the drums (taking on a slightly grunge sound) that nicely compliments the guitars (as opposed to supporting them from the background). A nice song to play during a long car ride to keep you awake, or to get pumped up before an otherwise boring event (7 AM staff meeting anyone?).
Track Three- “Insidious” (third time’s the charm)
What rock album is complete without a song about feeling like you’ve hit your breaking point? Very few. Rock encompasses a broad emotional spectrum, from self-loathing to devotion to your beloved. And every successful rock band/artist has to be able to create the emotional connection with their audience by touching on all of those feelings. Otherwise…they’re just spewing radio fodder trash. Unlike most songs about the breaking point, however, it’s not nihilistic and dismal, rather confident and empowering (“I’ll decide when it’s time for treason”) which I find refreshing indeed.
Track Four- “Music for Vampires” (homage to the grunge era)
Was that Nirvana? Was that Pearl Jam? Seriously, I couldn’t tell exactly who it was I was listening to until Neil’s vocals took command. This is by far their grungiest song, and damn, it’s very well executed! The guitar at the end is truly epic, and pays homage to the great grunge bands of decades long lost. Kurt Cobain (RIP) would be very proud if he heard this gem.
Track Five- “Fade” (airplay anyone?)
This is probably the most radio friendly song. It starts out with a sound we’re all familiar with, but for all the right reasons. It’s not recycled, it’s reinvented. It’s the anthem for the hurt, the let down, the underdog. My favorite line is “But I can never see a reason to let go of what is killing me”. Who hasn’t been there before, honestly? It’s one of those songs that brings you back to a bad memory without opening any wounds.
Track Six- “Give It Up” (the feelings you know, the lyrics you wanna hear)
Give It Up branches off from the more mellow sounds of the previous tracks and shows off a grittier, rugged sound, proving that this band knows how to experiment with their sound without going overboard. The lyrical content is comparable to Three Days Grace’s epic hit “I Hate Everything About You” minus the implications of, ya know, hate. It’s easier to relate to than its more aggressive “love-hate relationship” sibling songs.
Track Seven- “Unexecuted” (the most creative song on the album)
I can’t even begin to describe how much I love this song’s intro. It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Once again they’ve managed to switch up their sound without sounding ADHD (hey, I’m mentally ill, so I can crack a joke without being a bigot). The beauty is maintained through the entire piece, which I first believed to be instrumental. A pleasant surprise of Neil’s soft vocals will find you near the three minute mark. Near the end of the song the pace picks up with a speedy spoken verse that carries on to the end. While it is a strange way to end the song, it’s a creative way to end a song that started with such an indie/folk sound.
Sounds Like- A 90s alternative/college rock/jam band with elements of guitar virtuoso. A nice balance of guitar and drums. If you’re nostalgic for the era of alternative, look no further.
Feels Like- A quesadilla made in Mexico, not Taco Bell. In other words, they’re authentic, and not in any way passing themselves off as something done before or something they’re not. They maintain a likeable sound without abusing it.
Should Open For- The Killers, Muse, Spin Doctors, Goo Goo Dolls, Pearl Jam, Matchbox 20
Overall Score- On a scale of one to ten . . . ninja.
But hell, if you can’t take my word for it, listen for yourselves here- http://www.last.fm/music/The+Vanguard+Villains/The+Brooklyn+Demos
For those interested in purchasing the album you find the details for doing so here-http://thevanguardvillains.blogspot.com/2010/02/album-now-available.html
~Juno
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