Russian Spy Camera
"You are a Vulture" CD
Happy Happy Birthday
To Me
Genres: indie rock
November 2006 |
Indie rock with electronic elements: it's nothing new these days but
nobody complains when it's done well. Russian Spy Camera are
one of the latest to try their hand, and
You Are a Vulture is the inconsistent result. Starting with mildly
irritating dancey rocker "To Slip Through The Cracks," the listener
isn't exactly stricken with awe from the upstart, and jumpy
keyboard-led "Teasers With Tasers" does nothing to remedy this.
Fortunately the album is salvaged with "Svengali What's The Caper",
which adds life to the record with a smooth groove
and a solid
melody. Spanish tinged "Curandismo" is a bit unpolished but certainly
serviceable, and "Greetings From Far Away" (we're at the record's
fifth track now, pay attention) has a guitar line that pits it as one
of the disc's strongest songs. "A Matter of Time & Distance" also nabs
a spot among the record's best, due to a spacey drop-off bridge at the
2:40 mark. The rest of the record continues in much the same vein
with your fair share of fast
and slow songs and even a neat little interlude ("Ascension") that is
strangely one of Vulture's most satisfying moments.
Overall, You are a Vulture is an intriguing release in its promise, though more
consistency is surely what Russian Spy Camera are going to need
to focus on next time around. The band has a scattered but relatively
distinctive sound, which is a positive - however I find lead singer
Ryan White's voice a little weak at times. For a debut, however, there
is enough here to warrant some measure of attention; one must note
that this band was put together at the end of 2004, so things should
become more cohesive in time for their next full-length, due out
summer 2007.
mp3 (from hhbtm.com):
svengali what's the caper
70%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 12 tracks, 1000
pressed, distributed by
the label,
released 2006] |