VHS or Beta – Bring on the Comets

Writing scathing reviews isn’t as easy as it would seem since you really need to loath the topic/album in question. It’s probably easy for some to hate VHS or Beta, but they’re an entertaining dance-punk band that have been flying under the radar for a while but have surged onto radio with their newest album Bring on the Comets. Instead of staying with what they do best on this album they decided to focus on songwriting and squeaky-clean production. This album is kind of like jumping into a time machine back to the 80’s pop charts with different guitar sounds. The sweeping choruses, synthesizer arpeggios, catchy hooks all just end up sounding tired on repeated listens. The album isn’t bad and it isn’t great. It’s actually decidedly mediocre. It seems like there is too much polish on each of the songs that leave the listener begging to see if there’s anything rough around the edges. It’s hard to get into the album when each of the songs sound similar. You know the synth is coming in here or there, you know the sweeping chorus will be executed with precision, you know all of these things after listening to 2-3 songs. Maybe they’re trying to be like Daft Punk or channeling The Killers and missing the mark. The single below “Can’t Believe a Single Word” sounds like another song but can’t figure out what. They need to find a true identity before anyone should say, “Hey put on that VHS or Beta disc.”

VHS or Beta – Bring on the Comets

Writing scathing reviews isn’t as easy as it would seem since you really need to loath the topic/album in question. It’s probably easy for some to hate VHS or Beta, but they’re an entertaining dance-punk band that have been flying under the radar for a while but have surged onto radio with their newest album Bring on the Comets. Instead of staying with what they do best on this album they decided to focus on songwriting and squeaky-clean production. This album is kind of like jumping into a time machine back to the 80’s pop charts with different guitar sounds. The sweeping choruses, synthesizer arpeggios, catchy hooks all just end up sounding tired on repeated listens. The album isn’t bad and it isn’t great. It’s actually decidedly mediocre. It seems like there is too much polish on each of the songs that leave the listener begging to see if there’s anything rough around the edges. It’s hard to get into the album when each of the songs sound similar. You know the synth is coming in here or there, you know the sweeping chorus will be executed with precision, you know all of these things after listening to 2-3 songs. Maybe they’re trying to be like Daft Punk or channeling The Killers and missing the mark. The single below “Can’t Believe a Single Word” sounds like another song but can’t figure out what. They need to find a true identity before anyone should say, “Hey put on that VHS or Beta disc.”

Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Band of Horses saw a rapid rise to indie-rock stardom with their debut release Everything All The Time (2006, Sub Pop). Combining dreamy guitars, alt-country, and ethereal voice of Ben Bridwell they are most often compared to My Morning Jacket. Upon listening to their debut it was shocking how their voices sounded so similar. In a short amount of time in 2006, Ben Bridwell and his friend Matthew Brooke went from opening act (for labelmate Iron & Wine) to performing on The Late Show with David Letterman. With this much lauded debut also came unexpected changes to the band before recording the follow-up Cease to Begin (Oct. 9, 2007). Matthew Brooke left the band to pursue a solo venture and a couple other members moved away to be closer to their families.

Early reviews of Cease to Begin have been saying this effort is severely lacking. This is only partially true. There are also some differences that are a pleasant surprise. Cease to Begin is less “indie” and more accessible in its directness. Certain hushed or restrained elements on their debut are stripped away to bring Ben Bridwell front and center. It’s hard to say this album isn’t distinctly Band of Horses in its beauty of sound, but it’s less circuitous and more on the straight and narrow. Some say this is a downfall; but that is all they’ve known. The band has mutated their stripes but hasn’t lost them. There are fewer epic songs like “The Funeral,” and Mr. Briwell’s normal lyrical punch is dampened on a many tracks. His plaintive sighs aren’t nearly as interesting as when he’s belting out his feelings. Speculation could be that whenever a close band member is no longer around certain dynamics change. What these dynamics were for Band of Horses are a mystery, but from this album it’s safe to say Mr. Brooke probably contributed some songwriting depth that leaves Cease to Begin enjoyable but feeling a tad bit thin.