While some bands take a few releases to find their sound, others have it down pat on their first record. The self-titled debut from Montreal's Ghost Vines finds the matured band crafting dark, lo-fi rock with the sophistication of bands many years their senior.
Opening tracks like "Fall" and "Fire" showcase the band's songwriting chops, with powerful build-ups, entrancing harmonies, catchy vocal hooks and smart lyrics. The tone and vocal styles feel like plays on both Veronica Falls and Franz Ferdinand, but with a much darker cloud over the sound than either of those bands carry. Tracks like "Timber" continue this basic framework, but add a vicious nature to the tempo and rhythm that make it familiar yet new and exciting.
The band explore their sound further in tracks like the slow-burner "Never Lonely Alone," adding feathered violins to create an air of sadness, and giving the track a powerful finale with brutal distortion. The band bring frantic excitement to "This Phone Is Tapped," yet never miss a chance for catchy vocal lines. The album's final surprise is the punk-edge of "Bring On Your Guns," where each line feels like an act of protest as the band close with a newfound fire in their sound.
(BMI)Opening tracks like "Fall" and "Fire" showcase the band's songwriting chops, with powerful build-ups, entrancing harmonies, catchy vocal hooks and smart lyrics. The tone and vocal styles feel like plays on both Veronica Falls and Franz Ferdinand, but with a much darker cloud over the sound than either of those bands carry. Tracks like "Timber" continue this basic framework, but add a vicious nature to the tempo and rhythm that make it familiar yet new and exciting.
The band explore their sound further in tracks like the slow-burner "Never Lonely Alone," adding feathered violins to create an air of sadness, and giving the track a powerful finale with brutal distortion. The band bring frantic excitement to "This Phone Is Tapped," yet never miss a chance for catchy vocal lines. The album's final surprise is the punk-edge of "Bring On Your Guns," where each line feels like an act of protest as the band close with a newfound fire in their sound.