Nothing goes right

Vivian Girls: Everything Goes Wrong

Vivian Girls is a pioneer of the recent ‘nu riot grrl’ indie trend. The members of the all-female rock band may not boast the same feminist lyrics as their predecessors, but the sound they produce is distinctly “grrl”-riffic.

Just as Vivian Girls, the group’s 2008 début studio album, sounded rather poorly recorded and produced, the 2009 follow-up, Everything Goes Wrong, is not much better (although admittedly, this poor production quality is partially what gives the band its recognizable sound).

The songs on Vivian Girls were nearly impossible to discern from one another — each track had the same monotone vocals, hyper-electric guitar, and pulsating drumbeat. Everything Goes Wrong attempts to explore new styles with slower song introductions and more variance in its percussion, but unfortunately, the final product is the basically the same.

The song “Double Vision” opens with an uncharacteristically cheery guitar and drums, then breaks into slow vocals and a subdued bass line. Although the band attempts to try out new musical styles, the lyrical focus on the album stays centered on break-ups and boring love complaints.

With each track comprising four and a half minutes of singer Cassie Ramone’s droning voice, the two albums to Vivian Girls’ name are almost indistinguishable. However, despite the albums’ similarities, it’s not to say Everything Goes Wrong is wholly bad — after all, some of the best punk bands of all time were painfully repetitive (think the Ramones, the Sex Pistols).

But ultimately, all that listening to Vivian Girls’ Everything Goes Wrong guarantees the listener is a lapse of empowerment and an increase in boredom.

Bri’s Picks: “Double Vision” “The Desert”

— by Bri LaPelusa

A bloody nod to the old school

3 Inches of Blood: Here Waits Thy Doom

Heavy metal has always had its stereotypes — ranging from the devil-worshipping, partying reputation to the loner kids that hang out in their parents’ basements listening to music and playing roles.

I would imagine that 3 Inches of Blood frontman Cam Pipes fit into the latter stereotype, staying up until 5 a.m. decked out in full-on battle gear playing Dungeons & Dragons while listening to old Mercyful Fate records.

Despite what his high-school adviser might have said, sometimes hanging out for endless hours in a basement can pay off. The band’s fourth studio album, Here Waits Thy Doom, is a solid offering that at its best sounds like the battle cry for a group of ravage warriors — or at least all those confused adolescents out there.

There are some changes in the 3 Inches of Blood sound this time around. Listeners will immediately notice the absence of Jamie Hooper’s screaming vocals, which rounded off Pipes’ high-pitch falsetto wail. Hooper has been missing in action since 2007’s Ozzfest, when doctors advised he take break from singing or risk permanently damaging his vocal cords.

With Hooper out of the picture, Pipes is left to handle sole frontman duty, giving the band more of that old school sound. The opening track “Battles and Brotherhood” is heavy metal bliss with lyrics such as “With battle axes drawn / we race across the sky / hunting down our enemies / we will see them die.” Guitarists Justin Hagberg and Shane Clark play melodies that sound straight from the ’80s, while drummer Ash Pearson lays down some interesting rhythms on songs such as “Rock in Hell” and “Snake Fighter.”

Halfway through Here Waits Thy Doom, the music takes on a heavier edge. “Call of the Hammer” is one of the band’s most ferocious tracks that hits like a battle-ax. The album ends with the seven-minute epic “Execution Tank” full of earsplitting vocals and soaring melodies.

Over the years, 3 Inches of Blood’s credibility has sparked debate among fans (the group’s over-the-top attitude made some question its seriousness). But on Here Waits Thy Doom, the band proves that it has what it takes to deliver old-school heavy metal while having fun at the same time.

Eric’s Picks: “Battles and Brotherhood,” “Call of the Hammer,” “Snake Fighter”

— by Eric Andersen

Phish produces a sonic delight

Phish: Joy

A quarter of a century ago, Phish first began creating rock music on its own terms. Those two decades have been packed with classic albums, and simple word of mouth exposure that has gained the band an incredibly devoted following.

Despite very little time in the mainstream spotlight, Phish has managed to sell millions of records — a testament to the members’ talent and staying power. Joy is the band’s 11th studio album, and it follows the tradition of this band’s penchant for experimentation. Though Phish is largely a rock band, one will certainly hear sounds on this album that are not typically heard in “rock.”

The first few tracks on Joy are lush, guitar-rich numbers that take one to the setting of a summer music festival with their Mabie. “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan” is one of the album’s heavier songs, with solos that are much likened to an extended jam session — something ever-present throughout the album.

The album’s title track is a relaxed, piano-driven number that flows straight into a track called “Sugar Shack,” which dabbles quite a bit in basic funk elements. “Time Turns Elastic” is a 13 and-a-half minute opus that seems to drag for a bit at times with its tendency to ebb and flow — especially if one is not accustomed to such prolonged musical journeys.

Joy blends all kinds of musical genres to create something any fan of music should find some enjoyment in. From progressive, to blues, folk, and psychedelia, nothing is out of reach for Phish in terms of seeing how it can push its own musical margins (provided the group has any). Whether this album matches the influential power of its predecessors has yet to be determined, but Joy is a solid effort nonetheless. As someone whose first impression of the band is this album, I am far from disappointed.

Rebecca’s Picks: “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan,” “Sugar Shack,” “Kill Devil Falls”

— by Rebecca Koons