Somehow I missed the Voxtrot bandwagon as it was pulling out, but I’ve managed to run it down before they really got going. They’ve got two EPs and make some of the best post-80s indie jangle-pop I’ve ever heard. I’m so new to them that I haven’t even read a review, but I’m just going to go ahead and guess that the following bands are inevitably mentioned: Belle and Sebastian, The Cure, and The Smiths. The Shins, maybe? Joy Division and New Order, perhaps? And a few sly Elvis Costello references, almost certainly.
Given that, you already know what Voxtrot sounds like. Take all those bands, blend them together, set the Wayback Machine for 2006 and…POOF…out comes Voxtrot. This is not meant to be disparaging. They may not be the most innovative group out there, but it’s not like there aren’t a million bands out there who love Morrissey and Joy Division. Voxtrot manages to take those inspirations and write some great songs.
They just released their second EP: Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives. Here’s a couple songs off it.
Soft and Warm
This one is probably the most Belle and Sebastian of their songs. It’s got a great lilting melody, perfectly placed strings in the background, and the occasional burst of fuzzed-up bass for emphasis. The final refrain is the line “You are so young, so feel alive, and one day you will live on your own” repeated as the background music grows until it hits the wall and stops quite suddenly. And then you have to play the song again because you’re hungry for more.
Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives
This song is like a tightly wound coil. At times the tension is held in check, in other moments it is slowly unwinding, and in a couple places it just explodes and all you can do is run for cover. Or maybe it’s like a campfire: crackling and shooting sparks when you toss a new log on, but also burning hot even in its quieter moments. And while its the flames that entrance you, it’s ultimately the coals that keep you warm long afterwards. Or maybe it’s just a great song. I think that’s most likely.
If you want some more, My Old Kentucky Blog has four tracks up from a KEXP show that they did last month (including a Talking Heads cover).