Local CD Revue | Vile Blue Shades, Gene Swift Band, Sinthesis & Salt Lake City Rockers for Life
By Ryan Bradford
Vile Blue Shades
Triple Threat
Someone once told me they would like the VBS better if they actually wrote songs—and listening to Triple Threat (Pseudo Recordings) doesn’t provide any counterarguments. Featuring a remastered and repackaged collection of out-of-print Dark Wizard, Bottle of Pain, Obleaske of the Orb EPs and singles, Triple Threat mainly showcases the band’s experimental beginnings which often devolve into group chanting and drum-circles. That said, the album does a fantastic job of showcasing VBS’ evolution and incorporation of basic elements (like song structure) that now make them one of the most captivating live acts in Salt Lake City. Plus, the liner notes come with cutouts of the group’s 12 members so you can pose them in any convenient store-themed hilarity you desire. MySpace.com/VileBlueShades
Gene Swift Band Backseat Guru
It would be easy to dismiss Gene Swift Band as an “old-folks” band just because they play the type of inoffensive music that perfectly compliments a Sunday afternoon on the Lazy Boy, but Backseat Guru proves itself to be one of the most solid pop albums of 2007. The album doesn’t stray much from its patented dreamy, country-ish rock; opener “Way Back Home” recalls good Wilco and Gene Swift’s soothing vocals will satisfy any Warren Zevon fan. The band occasionally swerves into sappy territory (“Wrong Planet” tries to be topical by deriding SUVs), but with 20-plus musicians contributing, it’s hard to stay mad at this obvious labor-of-love. Woodshar.com/backseatguru
Sinthesis Movement 4:6
Do Sinthesis a favor: Don’t put this album on during a party. Use it as background music to get laid to or maybe after when you consider what you’ve just done. The aptly named Movement deserves your undivided attention, ingeniously playing with musical themes that are so rare in hip-hop, culminating in an epically morose journey. Rather than indulging in samples and party tracks, Sinthesis throws the listener into atmospheric instrumentals that will undoubtedly annoy some but reward those who stick through it to the end. MySpace.com/Sinthesis
Various Artists Salt Lake City Rockers for Life 2007
Since this is a benefit album to warn of the dangers of drunken driving, I’m not really allowed to say anything bad about it. I mean, what kind of monster would I have to be to complain about the uninspired mix of grunge, metal and whiny rock? What benefits might I reap by noting that formulaic pop-punk songs are the highlights of the album? And who am I trying to impress when I say that half the songs sound like they were recorded by a monkey learning Pro Tools? I’m obviously not thinking about the children! Let’s make a deal: You stop drinking and driving so they stop putting stuff like this out, I’ll give it two stars and we’ll call it a day. IlluminaRecords.com
More by Ryan Bradford
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Guilty Treasures
Gather up a decade of the best/worst music in one convenient track list.
- Nov 18, 2009
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CD Review: Dark Was the Night
The album's other acts include The Books [fronted by Jose Gonzalez], Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, My Brightest Diamond, Kronos Quartet, The Decemberists, Iron and Wine, Grizzly Bear, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Beirut, My Morning Jacket, Dave Sitek, Buck 65, The New Pornographers, Yo La Tengo, and others.
- Feb 26, 2009
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Music | Grade A: The Meat Puppets stay relevant.
"I want to come off as pathetic, grasping yet gratified on every level. That’s the kind person I want to come across as.” nFor all intents and purposes, bassist Cris Kirkwood’s parting words over a telephone conversation should be taken with a heavy heart, seeing how his band The Meat Puppets are the reason shows like Behind the Music exist. Back in the ’80s, the semin...
- Jan 21, 2009
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