One of the biggest buzz bands to come out of SXSW a few years ago was Voxtrot. Hailing from my home state, I feel a sort of kindred spirit with them, even if they don’t know my name. The group isn’t new to the in-the-know hipster scene, as they have released several EPs, and finally, after much waiting, they are ready to unleash their debut self-titled LP.
Voxtrot begins by unfolding with “Introduction,” a slow builder full of subtle arrangements and lavish strings. To their fans, Voxtrot has always been able to mash together the sounds of classic ’60s pop with ’80s Britrock. That concept still holds water with songs like the punchy “Kid Gloves” and in your face “Firecracker.” On “Ghost,” we find the guys experimenting a little with their music, at times sounding almost as cinematic as The Divine Comedy, but with their own rock edge.
My one problem with the record is this, I found myself at times becoming a casual listener of the album. Almost becoming background music isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but three-fourths through the work there was that little slump that I felt could have been more standout. However, by the time “Every Day” comes on with a burst of emotion and Belle & Sebastian-ish instrumentation, it reminds me exactly why I was a fan of this band a few years ago. This is the type of song that Voxtrot excels in crafting. Painfully singing “There’s nothing good on the radio/There’s never anything good,” I have to wonder if only radio would take a cue from the band and play this tune, maybe there would be something good on the radio. But then, would Voxtrot be able to write such beautiful anthems with such accusations if that was the case? That’s another question for another day.
