St. Paul, Minnesota based Vox Vermillion's new CD is the debut release for new label Women Records. Although the label was founded by two Hip Hop moguls, the bounce is nowhere to be found on this album. Although akin on one hand to bands like Denali and Spoon, Vox Vermillion often dips into some downright chilling places bringing to the forefront a goth/caberet influence that is not a million miles from artists like Nicki Jaine and The Dresden Dolls.
Overall this album is pretty even keeled, which some will enjoy and some will immediately write off. Nothing about this CD (with the possible exception of "Controller") really overtakes you and makes you pay attention but there is a quite intrigue that fans of more artistic music will undoubtedly latch onto. I guess that I was kind of waiting for the album to really start rockin' and it never did. While I like Kelsey Crawford's girlie sounding vocals there are points where it gets a little old and even sounds a bit unnatural. The piano/keyboard driven approach is something I really dig though- even if you don't like the band's sound, they have a unique approach and that's almost always to be applauded. "Wanted" and "Macbeth" are the best examples of the bands alternative keyboard/piano approach as Kelsey's girlie voice is almost pushed forward by the music. The latter is comparable to some of Bjork's early work.
The piano driven dark pop found on Standing Still You Move Forward is interesting but a bit tedious. There are definitely some things here that would make me want to hear their next album but I'd say this is a band the verdict is still out on in my book. It seems like many of the elements of greatness are there, they just don't quite fit together on this one.
2/4
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