Just over half a year after releasing their 5-song debut EP, “Spit Takes”, VELCROS are back with their first album, “Strange News From the Vault”.
One could say that this record is the result of a phase of exuberant creativity and exploration: immediately after completing “Spit Takes”, the trio felt inspired to keep writing and finding ways to expand their musical playing field in various directions. A fact that is made clear straight away in the album’s opener, “Starting Now”, which spreads heartland rock vibes reminiscent of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers — a compelling new accent in the band’s musical repertoire. In contrast, the subsequent track, “Hollowed”, immediately demonstrates that “Strange News From the Vault” is about evolution rather than a departure from the sound of its predecessor. All elements that made their debut EP so appealing are still there, just in a more refined and polished form, and bolder in their exploration of genres, contrasts and extremes.
Songs like “Troubled Mind” and “Bitter Lake” showcase VELCROS’ unique ability to write extremely catchy, danceable songs with a twist — like a perfect blend of Wipers, Guided by Voices and The Beatles, but clearly with their own DNA. The songs pass by in a two-and-a-half-minute rush, immediately making you want to listen to them again and again. Nevertheless, “Strange News From the Vault” is not purely built on adrenaline — one finds moments of pure calm and beauty, such as “Fading Too”, which pays homage to My Bloody Valentine with its modulating layers of shoegaze guitars.
The core idea of exploration and the search for the unknown is also carried by the unusual visual concept of the album which is once again taken care of by the band’s singer and guitarist, Fabian Bremer. The artwork combines DIY-inspired collages with the look and feel of a secret document from the X-Files. Mystery meets lo-fi, if you want to call it that — a perfect visual companion to the band’s mission to keep things interesting and moving forward.
