Chris DeLine

My attempts at avoiding the hype throughout the blogosphere surrounding Voxtrot ended last fall when DJ Neverforget aired a track on his Little Radio show – I was unexpectedly surprised as the song (its name slips my mind) was subtle and fantastic. Though my reaction at the time was that of a positive one, I neglected to follow up on the band until the news of the group’s new release. Possibly it was ignorance, possibly laziness, either way Voxtrot went from huge to forgotten within a week. Further more it seemed as though I was not the only one loving then neglecting them around the interwebs. With the group’s recently released debut album however the band looks to solidify its grasp of not simply those with mere slivers of attention spans, such as myself, but a new stronger, wider audience than the band’s previous three EPs catered to.

Initial reaction: it’s a grower; once through the record and nothing reaches out at the listener asking for additional attention or analysis. The second time through however Voxtrot begins to make a lot more sense. Though it’s been a while since I’ve checked the charts I don’t believe that modernized rock influenced power pop is the flavor of the week. That being said it’s never been an unusually offsetting genre that favors experimentalism over its listener either. Voxtrot’s attempt to make good with its listener comes not with that experimentalist outlook, but rather its heart to heart lyrical content. “Brother in Conflict” rings “I wanna drown you in a pool of blood,” its suggestions ringing even harder than the track, one of the heaviest on the album. “I have to lose my idols,” the song continues, “to find my voice;” and with this new freedom the band seems to do what so many others only dream of – they attain their voice.

Not having to settle for a second rate anything is a fantastic accomplishment, and despite awkward comparisons that can be made, Voxtrot niche their own blend of pop rock melodies with manic lyrics. “Every time I close my eyes, I see you in front of me, pretending in a love like this, I have no choice but to put you in back of me,” recalls singer/guitarist Ramesh Srivastava on “Kid Gloves.” It’s this passion that gets most bands by, even in the face of being forgotten within a matter of days. That being said, it’s with lyrics and harmonies such as those in Voxtrot that help bands over the hurdle, making damn sure that those who listen won’t forget any time soon.

[This post was first published by Culture Bully.]