Vibration - Ear To The Ground

by Anthony Dhanendran

published: 17 / 10 / 2004

Label: Sink and Stove
Format: CD

Debut EP from new female group, the Vibration, which, despite drawing comparisions with Siouxsie Sioux,Slint and Throwing Muses, remains completely indefinable

Review

It's hard to say what the Vibration are. They're a band of four women from New York via San Francisco, but beyond that it gets more difficult. According to the press release, they make "expressive and vibrant indie-rock", which is true, but it doesn't quite capture the full breadth or depth of what the Vibration are capable of. 'Ear to the Ground' chronicles their first year as a quartet proper, and comprises the first five songs the band wrote together. On that basis, they have a lot to live up to when the album arrives. From the beginning of the opener, 'Sweet Oil', it is clear that the band are on to something special. It's a slow-burning growling beast of a song that is both dark and welcoming at once. The band are supremely focused and the sound is tight, moving through any number of influences from Siouxsie Sioux to Slint and Throwing Muses. But they're not derivative, to the extent that it's hard to fathom where this music actually came from. It can be an unsettling experience, as they flit between tempos and even moving at times towards a lighter major key brightness to offset the predominantly heavy, dark musings of the majority of the music. Second track ‘Vibration’ is lighter but much tauter, making it an even more unsettling listen. 'Begin Again' is a remarkable piece of rock music, like they’re channelling PJ Harvey across the ocean, and 'Badge' is a towering movement of pain shot though with enough energy to still be standing at the end. It’s never depressing, though, and you can feel the passion and the bravado shine right through. Bristol-based indie label Sink and Stove, whose most recent major-league transfers were local boys Chikinki, who are starting to make an impact on Island, have picked up the New Yorkers for their 13th release, and it’s a good one. It’s fair to say that, to those who have heard this, the album, due next year, will be eagerly anticipated.