Label - Undertow Music Collective
BLURB - I fell in love with Via Audio's virtually unknown debut "Say Something" a couple months back. Talk about charismatic songwriting - listening to this album was look like dating the girl next door. She was a little weird...off the beaten path...preferred the Smashing Pumpkins to Smash Mouth and really cute. But at it's core, it was good and there was a solid and sincere foundation. Built upon dual male/female vocals, catchy hooks and a confident enthusiasm about themselves, "Say Something" was an all too likable album. With "Animalore" it's not that simple. Aside from the obvious musical growing pains, the music itself seems to be consumed with uncertainty and bravado...a dangerous combination.
Rating - 6 out of 10
FULL STORY - We'll start with the track that's about sex. Anytime there is a song that features a line of chorus stating, "I wanna make babies with you..." you have to like it. I'm not sure where or when, but there was legislation passed regarding this. Jumping out of the speakers with a fuzzy and warm 70's style glow, "Babies" is without a question the best track on "Animalore." Plain and simply, this song just emits a cool vibe, which you can very easily dance to in the corner. A mix of clean and acoustic guitars, synth and keyboards really dazzle the ol' ear drums. "Babies" is also solidly comprised of strong verses, huge choruses and flowing solos. This song really has no weakness and has a great, timeless quality to it. If I told you I found this song on a record from 1979 - you would probably believe me.
"Tigers" also puts out a really nice, mellow, laid back feel. The vocals are extremely reposed, complimented nicely by bright chord progressions and riffs. The cool thing about "Tigers" is that the entire song is about being possibly eaten by...well...tigers - certainly a very tense and nerve wracking scenario. So when you combine this laid back, groovy bed of music with the lyrics, it's pretty ironic and gives the song an interesting little wrinkle.
The record's opening track, aptly titled "Hello" is also a formidable song and introduction to the album. Aside from a brief hook that appears to be lifted from Modest Mouse's "Steady As She Goes," the song suavely floats about with the greatest of self assurance. Imagine a stunningly beautiful woman crooning in a lounge with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, in 1963. Now transplant that image to modern times with a semi-known indie pop band at a small club in Williamsburg and you have the feel of "Hello."
So far so good, right? Well, no - aside from these tunes and "Summer Stars," the album amounts to a swing and a miss. The remaining songs seem to be just random ideas and tangents leading Via Audio away from the buoyant indie pop feel that made them such a great band in the first place. The first example of this is "Goldrush." Now there are definitely elements of this song that are right in Via Audio's wheelhouse, but it turns into this cheesy mess and a series of annoying choruses in the blink of an eye. I know some people will disagree with me, but whatever...it's too cheesy.
"Lizard Song" is a risky attempt to create an uptempo, rock number on the record. There's actually some parts of this song, again, that fit the Via Audio feel and are done very well. However, the constant push and pull of the distorted guitars and subdued verses do not mesh well, and rather than sticking it out I usually just skip ahead to the next track.
"Digital" falls into that annoying "indie-band-does-a-song-about-technology-and-fills-it-with way-too-much-bass" cliche. There's never been a decent song in the history of the world that rhymes the word digital with pixels - and there never will be. Terrible.
All in all I feel like I'm breaking up with Via Audio, or we're at least going to 'take a break.' While "Animalore" still retains some elements of what made "Say Something" so enjoyable, there has undoubtedly been some kind of change or departure from what made Via Audio great. It's like they just got back from their freshmen year of college and have all these new ideas and friends and habits. In the back of my head songs like "Babies," "Tigers" and "Summer Stars" will permit me to think that maybe someday we can get back together. For now though, I'm going to see other people.
Tracks
1.) Hello
2.) Goldrush
3.) Babies
4.) Tigers
5.) Wanted
6.) Too Quiet
7.) Lizard Song
8.) Digital
9.) Summer Stars
10.) Oh Blah Wee
11.) Olga
12.) Happening
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